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—Jackie Baillie, Scottish Labour PartyOver 800 National Health Service staff in Scotland are earning more than £140,000 each year—more than First Minister Alex Salmond. New figures also reveal that 3,000 NHS workers are earning over £100,000. One NHS board alone, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, employs 893 staff earning more than £100,000, and 181 being paid over £140,000.
Jackie Baillie, health spokeswoman for the Labour Party, which uncovered the figures, said they were "astonishing", and urged health boards to examine if savings can be made by reducing salaries of top earners. "This is a far better option than cutting frontline staff like nurses and midwives. In tough financial times we need to make sure that our focus is on patient care and every penny is spent in the most efficient way." She further said: “In the current economic climate, it is impossible to justify huge salaries for consultants and senior executives when health boards are planning 4000 job losses this year, including 1500 nurses and midwives."
Britain's largest health service industrial union, Unison, questioned the amount of money the NHS was paying. A spokesperson said: "Unison doesn’t begrudge anybody the rate of pay for the job but obviously our membership will be concerned that while they are to face a pay freeze and people delivering frontline services are losing their jobs, there is a cohort of folk who appear to earn more than the most senior politician in the land."
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Astonishing' figures show 800 Scottish NHS staff earning over £140,000 | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Astonishing%27_figures_show_800_Scottish_NHS_staff_earning_over_%C2%A3140,000 |
The New South Wales government will make it compulsory for schools to play Advance Australia Fair, Australia's national anthem before class this year.
Teachers at primary schools in NSW will also be required to introduce "Australian values" lessons from the beginning of this school year. The lessons are expected to teach children "what it means to be Australian" and include topics such as family values, community harmony, national heritage, national identity, cultural differences and Australian history.
The Three Rs will also be extended to five and include the topics of respect and responsibility. The NSW government claims that it needs to ensure people respect authority within the community.
Adults will not escape the government's plans to foster respect for authority with the government announcing it plans to create a new law enforcement package with new laws to make it easier for police to crack down on anti-social behaviour.
Fines and penalties for a range of offences such as damaging public property, including transport and housing, will also be reviewed.
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The 3D science fiction epic romance Avatar has surpassed Titanic—also by director James Cameron—as the highest-grossing international film of all time.
Avatar has overtaken Titanic by a margin of more than 15 million US dollars, with both films grossing in excess of $1.843bn. The film has been the most popular film in box offices around North America and Europe for six weeks, with United Kingdom takings for this weekend alone in excess of £5.1m. In the United States, the film has pushed The Dark Knight into third place.
Avatar's victory has been put down to the higher prices many viewers have had to pay to see the film in 3D, as well as inflation over time (as the figures have not been adjusted for such). If the figures are adjusted for inflation, it is beaten to the top spot by Gone with the Wind. In the adjusted chart, Titanic makes it only to number six, with other members of the top ten including Star Wars, The Sound of Music, and E.T: The Extra-Terrestrial.
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| 'Avatar' becomes highest-grossing film of all time | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Avatar%27_becomes_highest-grossing_film_of_all_time |
File:Oscar icon by reiartur.png
The 77th Annual Academy Awards were held on February 27th, 2005 and broadcast live across the world. Some of the more poignant moments included a tribute to Johnny Carson, frequent host of the Awards, as well as a video tribute to many people involved in the movie industry who died in the past year, including Rodney Dangerfield, Ossie Davis, Christopher Reeve, Marlon Brando, and Ronald Reagan, set to the music of Yo Yo Ma.
Million Dollar Baby
Clint Eastwood, Million Dollar Baby
Jamie Foxx, Ray
Morgan Freeman, Million Dollar Baby
Hilary Swank, Million Dollar Baby
Cate Blanchett, The Aviator
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Sideways
The Sea Inside
The Incredibles
The Aviator
The Aviator
The Aviator
Born into Brothels
The Aviator
A Series of Unfortunate Events
Finding Neverland
Al Otro Lado Del Rio, from The Motorcycle Diaries
Ray
The Incredibles
Spider-Man 2
Mighty Times: The Children's March
Ryan
Wasp
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Aviator,' 'Baby' dominate 2005 Academy Awards | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Aviator,%27_%27Baby%27_dominate_2005_Academy_Awards |
'Baby 81', a four-month-old baby boy so named because he was the 81st admission into the hospital that day, has been confirmed to be the child of Jenita and Murugupillai Jeyarajah. He was lost during the Indian Ocean tsunami that killed more than 228,000 people. Eight other families also claimed him to be their lost baby although no others filed a formal claim for the child.
DNA tests confirmed the Jeyarajahs as the real parents after the couple waited seven weeks for his return. The parents tried to get him back many times and were involved in a physical attempt at taking him. His father also said that he would commit suicide if authorities did not return his child.
"I am so happy, and I only have to thank God for giving my child back... We've got the results for all our hardships," Mr. Jeyarajah said after the ruling.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Baby 81's parents confirmed | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Baby_81%27s_parents_confirmed |
The BBC, who broadcast the Live 8 event throughout Saturday and Sunday, has received hundreds of complaints regarding "swearing outbursts". Madonna and Snoop Dogg are among those who used "bad language" before the 9:00PM watershed.
Following last year's Super Bowl, where U.S. broadcasting networks were criticised for not forecasting Janet Jackson's bodily exposure, the BBC pledged to incorporate a time delay of several seconds in certain live broadcasts in order to provide a level of censorship to potentially violent/unsuitable scenes.
The Live 8 event, however, was broadcast live.
The BBC, said a spokesperson, had received "just under" 400 complaints regarding the use of language in its coverage.
"Millions of people enjoyed our 12 hours of live broadcasting. We are sorry if any offence was caused.", she added.
The stars accused of swearing before the watershed include Snoop Dogg, Madonna, Johnny Borrell (Razorlight) and Billie-Joe Armstrong (Green Day).
Previous complaints received by the BBC range from 240 complaints made as a result of the new 3D weather map, to 47,000 in the build up to the broadcast of "Jerry Springer - The Opera".
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Bad language' at Live 8 concerts trigger complaints to the BBC | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Bad_language%27_at_Live_8_concerts_trigger_complaints_to_the_BBC |
The BBC, who broadcast the Live 8 event throughout Saturday and Sunday, has received hundreds of complaints regarding "swearing outbursts". Madonna and Snoop Dogg are among those who used "bad language" before the 9:00PM watershed.
Following last year's Super Bowl, where U.S. broadcasting networks were criticised for not forecasting Janet Jackson's bodily exposure, the BBC pledged to incorporate a time delay of several seconds in certain live broadcasts in order to provide a level of censorship to potentially violent/unsuitable scenes.
The Live 8 event, however, was broadcast live.
The BBC, said a spokesperson, had received "just under" 400 complaints regarding the use of language in its coverage.
"Millions of people enjoyed our 12 hours of live broadcasting. We are sorry if any offence was caused.", she added.
The stars accused of swearing before the watershed include Snoop Dogg, Madonna, Johnny Borrell (Razorlight) and Billie-Joe Armstrong (Green Day).
Previous complaints received by the BBC range from 240 complaints made as a result of the new 3D weather map, to 47,000 in the build up to the broadcast of "Jerry Springer - The Opera".
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Bad language' at Live 8 concerts trigger complaints to the BBC | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Bad_language%27_on_Live_8_causes_complaints_to_the_BBC |
Banana Joe V Tani Kazari, a five-year-old Affenpinscher, won last night's Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
Joe is the first Affenpinscher to win Westminster's Best in Show. The small black dog beat out six other dogs that had won in their respective contest groups — Adam, a Smooth Fox Terrier; Oakley, a German Wirehaired Pointer; Jewel, an American Foxhound; Matisse, a Portuguese Water Dog; Honor, a Bichon Frisé, and crowd favorite Swagger, an Old English Sheepdog — to win the title.
Joe will be turning six next month and is retiring from his career as a show dog. Today, he is to fly back to the country of his birth, The Netherlands.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Banana Joe' wins Westminster | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Banana_Joe%27_wins_Westminster |
Danny Fitzsimons, 30, gave evidence today to the court in Karkh, Baghdad trying him for murdering a fellow Brit and an Australian in August 2009. The security contractor said his ArmorGroup collegues had tried to kill him in the city's Green Zone, challenged the fairness of his trial and offered a plea bargain.
Fitzsimons used his pistol to kill Darren Hoare, 37, from Queensland, Australia and Paul McGuigan, 37, from Peebles, Borders, Scotland. The first Westerner tried in Iraq since the invasion in 2003, he testified that the trio were drinking whisky and began fighting after he punched McGuigan's face. He claimed McGuigan had him at gunpoint with an M4 rifle while Hoare pushed him on the ground after the pair entered his room.
"I was seconds away from my death so I pulled my pistol," Fitzsimons told the three-judge panel. "I shouted twice to put down the weapon. He didn't respond to my commands, my requests, so I made a decision. I shot him [McGuigan] twice in the chest." Acting out the events, he added "Bang, bang in his chest."
Next, according to Fitzsimons, he fired a third shot, this time hitting McGuigan in the face. His widow has described the three shots as an "execution". In further testimony today Fitzsimons told the judges Hoare then grabbed the pistol and tried to force it "to my throat to kill me... and while we were wrestling I fired two shots in the chest. I made the decision and pulled the trigger."
He then fled for the British Embassy, but was stopped by an Iraqi guard who ordered the blood-soaked man to stop at gunpoint. Fitzsimons pulled his own gun and shot the guard in the thigh, for which he faces an attempted murder charge.
Iraqi law requires the entry of a plea at the end of a trial, and Fitzsimons entered not guilty pleas. He also offered the judges a plea bargain - he would plead guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter, which, unlike murder, does not carry the death penalty. The verdict has been delayed until February 20 while the judges seek documentation clarifying the accused's psychiatric state and consider if this should impact their decision as to guilt or innocence.
Fitzsimons was previously diagnosed by a medical committee with post traumatic stress disorder and made multiple requests to tell the judges about this. These were refused, the judges saying they were sufficiently aware of this already. Fitzsimons retorted that he believes this breaches his right to a fair trial: "This is not fair. I don't believe it is a fair trial."
The right to a fair trial is enshrined in Article 10 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states "[e]veryone is entitled... to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of... any criminal charge against him." The Constitution of Iraq states in Article 19 "[t]he accused is innocent until proven guilty in a fair legal trial," and "[e]very person shall have the right to be treated with justice in judicial... proceedings."
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Bang bang': UK mercenary charged with murdering colleagues gives evidence in Iraq | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Bang_bang%27:_UK_mercenary_charged_with_murdering_colleagues_gives_evidence_in_Iraq |
Danny Fitzsimons, 30, gave evidence today to the court in Karkh, Baghdad trying him for murdering a fellow Brit and an Australian in August 2009. The security contractor said his ArmorGroup collegues had tried to kill him in the city's Green Zone, challenged the fairness of his trial and offered a plea bargain.
Fitzsimons used his pistol to kill Darren Hoare, 37, from Queensland, Australia and Paul McGuigan, 37, from Peebles, Borders, Scotland. The first Westerner tried in Iraq since the invasion in 2003, he testified that the trio were drinking whisky and began fighting after he punched McGuigan's face. He claimed McGuigan had him at gunpoint with an M4 rifle while Hoare pushed him on the ground after the pair entered his room.
"I was seconds away from my death so I pulled my pistol," Fitzsimons told the three-judge panel. "I shouted twice to put down the weapon. He didn't respond to my commands, my requests, so I made a decision. I shot him [McGuigan] twice in the chest." Acting out the events, he added "Bang, bang in his chest."
Next, according to Fitzsimons, he fired a third shot, this time hitting McGuigan in the face. His widow has described the three shots as an "execution". In further testimony today Fitzsimons told the judges Hoare then grabbed the pistol and tried to force it "to my throat to kill me... and while we were wrestling I fired two shots in the chest. I made the decision and pulled the trigger."
He then fled for the British Embassy, but was stopped by an Iraqi guard who ordered the blood-soaked man to stop at gunpoint. Fitzsimons pulled his own gun and shot the guard in the thigh, for which he faces an attempted murder charge.
Iraqi law requires the entry of a plea at the end of a trial, and Fitzsimons entered not guilty pleas. He also offered the judges a plea bargain - he would plead guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter, which, unlike murder, does not carry the death penalty. The verdict has been delayed until February 20 while the judges seek documentation clarifying the accused's psychiatric state and consider if this should impact their decision as to guilt or innocence.
Fitzsimons was previously diagnosed by a medical committee with post traumatic stress disorder and made multiple requests to tell the judges about this. These were refused, the judges saying they were sufficiently aware of this already. Fitzsimons retorted that he believes this breaches his right to a fair trial: "This is not fair. I don't believe it is a fair trial."
The right to a fair trial is enshrined in Article 10 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states "[e]veryone is entitled... to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of... any criminal charge against him." The Constitution of Iraq states in Article 19 "[t]he accused is innocent until proven guilty in a fair legal trial," and "[e]very person shall have the right to be treated with justice in judicial... proceedings."
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Bang bang': UK mercenary charged with murdering colleagues gives evidence in Iraq | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Bang_bang:%27_UK_mercenary_charged_with_murdering_colleagues_gives_evidence_in_Iraq |
For the first time, the American version of Big Brother will not be airing their traditional "live eviction" episode Thursday night as normally scheduled. Instead, the show will be taped, with host Julie Chen and the studio audience requested four hours earlier than normal.
The reason for the change is due to the expected use of the "Coup d'Etat" power, which allows America's chosen HouseGuest to remove the current nominations and place his own with no warning mere minutes before the final vote. Fan favorite Jeff Schroeder, who has ranked #1 in TV Guide's "power rankings" for the second week in a row, was given the power a week ago after a nationwide televote.
Fellow HouseGuest Chima Benson, who is currently the Head of Household, threatened to go "batcrap crazy" on the house's live feeds earlier this week, threatening the stability of the live show. In the first week's live eviction, she delivered an impromptu tirade against nominee Braden Bacha for his racist remarks against other HouseGuests, causing Benson to be placed on a time delay to censor her language.
TV Guide did not receive any comment by press time about the scrapped live broadcast. Big Brother, now in its eleventh season, is seeing a ratings resurgence, topping the ratings received from the same time last year, with over seven million people watching the three weekly episodes. The eviction in question airs Thursday at 8 p.m. EDT on CBS.
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| US 'Big Brother' "live" eviction taped for the first time | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Big_Brother%27_%22live%22_eviction_taped_for_first_time |
For the first time, the American version of Big Brother will not be airing their traditional "live eviction" episode Thursday night as normally scheduled. Instead, the show will be taped, with host Julie Chen and the studio audience requested four hours earlier than normal.
The reason for the change is due to the expected use of the "Coup d'Etat" power, which allows America's chosen HouseGuest to remove the current nominations and place his own with no warning mere minutes before the final vote. Fan favorite Jeff Schroeder, who has ranked #1 in TV Guide's "power rankings" for the second week in a row, was given the power a week ago after a nationwide televote.
Fellow HouseGuest Chima Benson, who is currently the Head of Household, threatened to go "batcrap crazy" on the house's live feeds earlier this week, threatening the stability of the live show. In the first week's live eviction, she delivered an impromptu tirade against nominee Braden Bacha for his racist remarks against other HouseGuests, causing Benson to be placed on a time delay to censor her language.
TV Guide did not receive any comment by press time about the scrapped live broadcast. Big Brother, now in its eleventh season, is seeing a ratings resurgence, topping the ratings received from the same time last year, with over seven million people watching the three weekly episodes. The eviction in question airs Thursday at 8 p.m. EDT on CBS.
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| US 'Big Brother' "live" eviction taped for the first time | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Big_Brother%27_%22live%22_eviction_taped_for_the_first_time |
In the past two months, Parker Somerville, a videographer for the website TMZ.com, transitioned from an average guy leading an ordinary life, to living in an extraordinary voyeuristic existence, and back again to the beginning. Simply put, it was a transition from reality to reality, with a two-week detour in reality television. Somerville was a former contestant on the CBS reality TV staple Big Brother, currently in its ninth installment.
Evicted on Day 14, Somerville hoped to have another chance to play the game, but came in second in the special "America's Choice" poll to bring back a former HouseGuest (the poll results were eventually not used at all and nobody was brought back). Now freed from a three-week sequester, Somerville was interviewed by Wikinews reporter Mike Halterman and he discussed his thoughts on Big Brother, how he and his fellow HouseGuests were portrayed and received, and what he plans to do now that his experience is, for the most part, over.
Somerville will return to Big Brother on finale night in five weeks. Please check your local listings for time and channel. Big Brother airs on CBS in the United States, Global in Canada, and E4 in the United Kingdom.
Mike Halterman: So, you've been billed on the show as a paparazzi for TMZ.com. Tell us exactly what you do at your job. What was your most exciting work-related celebrity sighting?
MH: How much exposure did you have to Big Brother before you were selected to go on the show?
MH: Who influenced you to audition?
MH: In a previous interview I conducted with Canada's Next Top Model winner Andrea Muizelaar, she said that she believed reality shows cast people who are perhaps unstable, to make for better television. Do you feel that's true?
MH: You were really not that thrilled when Jen, the "soulmate" the show picked for you, was in a previous outside relationship with fellow HouseGuest Ryan. What were you thinking when Jen revealed the news to you?
MH: Also, Allison, Ryan's partner, was shown on the television broadcasts as being probably more angry than you were. Who do you think was more angry about the developments, you or Allison?
MH: You were involved in some of the most dramatic moments we've seen this season, including, but not limited to, you waking up the entire house to find the person who had talked behind your back. Do you think being that direct was a good strategy for your game play? Also, viewers of the show gathered that you were unhappy with the way Jen played the game, but do you believe some of your actions cost you the game as well?
MH: How do you feel about Jen telling other HouseGuests that her real-life boyfriend Ryan was racist to ensure that she stayed in the game? Did you think that behavior crossed a line?
MH: You had said after leaving the house that you felt Matt didn't keep his word to you as far as vetoing your nomination. Now that you've watched past footage, do you still believe Matt wronged you?
MH: What did you really want to say to Jen after you both got evicted so early in the game? You were very quiet when Julie Chen interviewed both of you...
MH: This season, Big Brother made the press rather negatively compared to past seasons, specifically with incidents like HouseGuest Adam being fired from his job for a comment about "retards," Amanda being taunted that she should hang herself with a noose "just like her father," and James performing in multiple gay pornography videos. What are your thoughts about all of these these events? When do you think the other HouseGuests will find out about James' past in pornography, if they find out at all? How do you think Chelsia will react?
MH: You were kept in sequester for a few weeks, and only recently allowed to return to your normal life. How does it feel being recognized as "that guy from the Big Brother show"?
MH: What options, do you feel, are open to you now that your stint on reality TV is over? Are you going to continue your job at TMZ, or do you hope to break into acting like previous HouseGuests have?
MH: You were in the Big Brother house for all of 14 days. With that TV experience behind you, would you ever consider doing another reality TV show again?
MH: Who would you hang out with after the show ends, and who would you rather not see again?
MH: There are eight contestants left from the original sixteen. Who are you rooting for to win, and why?
MH: And finally, do you believe the Big Brother "twist" this season (both the "soulmate" pairings and Jen and Ryan's outside relationship) "robbed" you of winning the game?
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| 'Big Brother' contestant Parker Somerville sounds off about the show and his aspirations | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Big_Brother%27_contestant_Parker_Somerville_sounds_off_about_the_show_and_his_aspirations |
In the past two months, Parker Somerville, a videographer for the website TMZ.com, transitioned from an average guy leading an ordinary life, to living in an extraordinary voyeuristic existence, and back again to the beginning. Simply put, it was a transition from reality to reality, with a two-week detour in reality television. Somerville was a former contestant on the CBS reality TV staple Big Brother, currently in its ninth installment.
Evicted on Day 14, Somerville hoped to have another chance to play the game, but came in second in the special "America's Choice" poll to bring back a former HouseGuest (the poll results were eventually not used at all and nobody was brought back). Now freed from a three-week sequester, Somerville was interviewed by Wikinews reporter Mike Halterman and he discussed his thoughts on Big Brother, how he and his fellow HouseGuests were portrayed and received, and what he plans to do now that his experience is, for the most part, over.
Somerville will return to Big Brother on finale night in five weeks. Please check your local listings for time and channel. Big Brother airs on CBS in the United States, Global in Canada, and E4 in the United Kingdom.
Mike Halterman: So, you've been billed on the show as a paparazzi for TMZ.com. Tell us exactly what you do at your job. What was your most exciting work-related celebrity sighting?
MH: How much exposure did you have to Big Brother before you were selected to go on the show?
MH: Who influenced you to audition?
MH: In a previous interview I conducted with Canada's Next Top Model winner Andrea Muizelaar, she said that she believed reality shows cast people who are perhaps unstable, to make for better television. Do you feel that's true?
MH: You were really not that thrilled when Jen, the "soulmate" the show picked for you, was in a previous outside relationship with fellow HouseGuest Ryan. What were you thinking when Jen revealed the news to you?
MH: Also, Allison, Ryan's partner, was shown on the television broadcasts as being probably more angry than you were. Who do you think was more angry about the developments, you or Allison?
MH: You were involved in some of the most dramatic moments we've seen this season, including, but not limited to, you waking up the entire house to find the person who had talked behind your back. Do you think being that direct was a good strategy for your game play? Also, viewers of the show gathered that you were unhappy with the way Jen played the game, but do you believe some of your actions cost you the game as well?
MH: How do you feel about Jen telling other HouseGuests that her real-life boyfriend Ryan was racist to ensure that she stayed in the game? Did you think that behavior crossed a line?
MH: You had said after leaving the house that you felt Matt didn't keep his word to you as far as vetoing your nomination. Now that you've watched past footage, do you still believe Matt wronged you?
MH: What did you really want to say to Jen after you both got evicted so early in the game? You were very quiet when Julie Chen interviewed both of you...
MH: This season, Big Brother made the press rather negatively compared to past seasons, specifically with incidents like HouseGuest Adam being fired from his job for a comment about "retards," Amanda being taunted that she should hang herself with a noose "just like her father," and James performing in multiple gay pornography videos. What are your thoughts about all of these these events? When do you think the other HouseGuests will find out about James' past in pornography, if they find out at all? How do you think Chelsia will react?
MH: You were kept in sequester for a few weeks, and only recently allowed to return to your normal life. How does it feel being recognized as "that guy from the Big Brother show"?
MH: What options, do you feel, are open to you now that your stint on reality TV is over? Are you going to continue your job at TMZ, or do you hope to break into acting like previous HouseGuests have?
MH: You were in the Big Brother house for all of 14 days. With that TV experience behind you, would you ever consider doing another reality TV show again?
MH: Who would you hang out with after the show ends, and who would you rather not see again?
MH: There are eight contestants left from the original sixteen. Who are you rooting for to win, and why?
MH: And finally, do you believe the Big Brother "twist" this season (both the "soulmate" pairings and Jen and Ryan's outside relationship) "robbed" you of winning the game?
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| 'Big Brother' contestant Parker Somerville sounds off about the show and his aspirations | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Big_Brother%27_contestant_Parker_Somerville_sounds_off_about_the_show_and_his_future_aspirations |
David Tchappat, a popular housemate recently evicted from the television reality program Big Brother Australia, has spoken out critically of his childhood experiences in the controversial religious group "Raven-Taylor-Hales Brethren", referred to in Australian media as "Exclusive Brethren". Tchappat was a participant in the edition Big Brother Australia 2008, and was voted off the show on May 25.
Tchappat, 33, a former police officer and presently a firefighter, left the controversial group at age 19. He says he attempted to leave at age 17 but was brought back by members of the group and "interrogated" by group leadership for months. Up until he left he had never eaten in a restaurant, listened to the radio or been to the movie theater. According to Macquarie National News, Tchappat's former community numbers number approximately 15,000 in Australia. Raven-Taylor-Hales Brethren is a sect of Protestant Christianity and a breakaway group from Exclusive Brethren.
Due to his departure from the group, Tchappat had to break off contact with family members still inside the organization, though at times he speaks with his parents. Members do not vote in elections because they feel it contradicts their belief that God should determine who is in power, but they provide finances to the Liberal Party of Australia. Tchappat's cousin Andrew left the group a few months after he did.
—David TchappatAfter getting to know his fellow Big Brother Australia housemates for three weeks, Tchappat recounted some of his experiences in his former religious group. "Look, I don't like to say it's a cult, but it basically is. My whole life was controlled. I didn't have a say in it myself," he said on one episode. He grew up in the Raven-Taylor-Hales Brethren community in Gosford, New South Wales, and explained: "It's based on Christian values but it's very strict. So I had no TV, no radio, no computer, never been to a movie or a restaurant or kissed a girl - you name it, I didn't do it."
In an interview Tuesday with former Big Brother Australia runner-up Tim Brunero on Macquarie National News, Tchappat said he is planning on releasing a book about his experiences growing up in the controversial religious group. "I've spent the last two years writing it. It just happened that I got into Big Brother in the tail-end of it. Obviously there's a few more chapters to add, but I'm really pumped, it's an interesting story," he said. He plans to title the book Losing my Religion.
He was also interviewed by ninemsn on Tuesday, and said he does not regret discussing his experiences in Raven-Taylor-Hales Brethren on Australian national television. "I'm an example of how you can go out and be successful. I say to people that if you are thinking about leaving, and you're serious, take a punt and give it a go. You can always go back if you don't like it." Former members of the group were inspired by Tchappat's comments and empathized with his experiences in posts to Big Brother Internet message boards.
—Kevin RuddPrime Minister of Australia Kevin Rudd criticized the Raven-Taylor-Hales Brethren group in August 2007. At the time he was leader of the Australian Labor Party, and requested that then-Prime Minister John Howard reveal what took place in a private meeting with senior members of the religious group. "I believe this is an extremist cult and sect. I also believe that it breaks up families," said Rudd to reporters in Adelaide according to The Sydney Morning Herald. He noted that the organization was being investigated by the Australian Federal Police for prior election activities, and wanted to know how much funding had been given by the group to the Liberal Party.
During his election campaign Rudd called on Australian federal agencies including the anti-money laundering agency Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC), the Australian Federal Police, the Australian Taxation Office, and the Australian Electoral Commission to investigate the activities of Raven-Taylor-Hales Brethren. In spite of Rudd's criticism of Raven-Taylor-Hales Brethren, the religious group was guaranteed AUD10 million in taxpayer funding for its school facilities in January 2008. Rudd had promised during his election campaign to maintain education funding levels for non-government schools if he became Prime Minister.
Australia media reported on May 18 that Rudd rejected a request from former members of Raven-Taylor-Hales Brethren to investigate the group. 34 ex-members of the religious group had sent a letter to the Prime Minister's office asking him to investigate how they were treated in the organization. A spokesman for Rudd said that the ex-members should instead take their request to the police, and that a government investigation would raise religious freedom issues. Rudd's chief of staff David Epstein said that the Prime Minister "does not resile from the views he expressed last year" and "remains concerned about the reported imposition of doctrines that weaken family bonds".
Australian Greens spokeswoman Christine Milne told Australia's ABC News said that the well-being of children still in the group should be of primary concern. "The issue here is not about religious freedom, it is about what this cult is doing to destroy families and effectively to undermine the law," said Milne.
Ex-member Peter Flinn, who wrote the letter sent to Rudd which was signed by 33 other former members, was disappointed by the Prime Minister's response. "We just want to highlight other equally fundamental human rights, such as access to family who remain Brethren members, a right callously denied for decades," he said in a statement in The Sydney Morning Herald. Senator Bob Brown of the Australian Greens party has proposed a government inquiry into the group's public funding, tax concessions and possible practices that harm children.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Big Brother Australia' evictee recounts youth in controversial religious group | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Big_Brother_Australia%27_evictee_recounts_youth_in_controversial_religious_group |
Citing "league sources," both CNN/SI and the Boston Globe are reporting that Kevin Garnett is going to the Boston Celtics in a trade involving at least six players. This transaction in the United States' premier professional basketball league NBA, which is contingent on a contract negotiation, would be considered major.
The forward, known as "Big Ticket", who has spent his entire twelve season career playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves, will join fellow all-stars Paul Pierce and Ray Allen to give Boston a boost in the Eastern Conference.
Although the deal is yet to be announced formally by either team, many news agencies are reporting that the deal has been finalized. Kevin Garnett will go to Boston, in exchange for Celtic players Al Jefferson, Sebastian Telfair, Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes, and Theo Ratliff, along with two future NBA draft picks.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | NBA: Minnesota ready to trade Kevin Garnett to Boston | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Big_Ticket%27_Kevin_Garnett_gets_one-way_ticket_to_the_Boston_Celtics |
Researchers say that two men claiming to be 'Bigfoot' hunters in Georgia in the United States and who claimed to have found the remains of the mythical creature earlier this month, are part of an elaborate hoax.
Bigfoot hunters Matt Whitton and Rick Dyer stated on August 15, 2008 that they were hunting for the creature in the forests of northeastern Georgia when they came across the supposed corpse of one of the legendary cryptids. After finding the body, they claimed to have taken it home where they stored it in a freezer.
A group called Searching For Bigfoot Inc. stated that they paid the hunters "an undisclosed sum" of money for all publicity related to the alleged carcass, but when researchers Tom Biscardi and Robert Schmalzbach went to examine the remains of the thawing body, they began to discover that it was nothing more than a plastic Halloween costume.
"[Within the first hour of thawing] a break appeared up near the feet area. ... I observed the foot which looked unnatural, reached in and confirmed it was a rubber foot," said one of the researchers for Searching For Bigfoot Inc., Steve Kull, who also examined the alleged corpse.
The researchers then attempted to reclaim their money and went to the hotel Whitton and Dyer were staying in, only to find the rooms empty, and the two men nowhere to be found.
"[We are a] victim of this series of deceptions," added Kell who also said the group is "seeking justice".
Whitton and Dyer claimed they had photos, video and DNA evidence to support their claim, but only one photo portraying a blurred black figure in the distance in the forest was provided.
The TimesOnline reports that the joke fell flat with Jeffrey Turner, who as Chief of Police in Clayton County, Georgia, put Mr Whitton on medical leave when he was shot in the wrist as he tried to foil a robbery earlier this summer. "As soon as we saw it was a hoax, I filed the paperwork to terminate his employment," said Chief Turner. “He’s disgraced himself, he’s an embarrassment to the Clayton County Police Department, his credibility and integrity as an officer is gone, and I have no use for him,” he declared.
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| Claim of 'Bigfoot' dead body is a hoax | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Bigfoot%27_dead_body_claim_big_hoax;_Hoaxers_flee |
During a press conference in Palo Alto, California, hunters of the mythical creature Bigfoot claimed to have found a corpse of the creature. Matt Whitton and Rick Dyer say that they were hunting for the creature in the forests of Northeastern Georgia in the United States when they came across the corpse of one of the alleged animals.
After finding the body, Whitton and Dyer allegedly took it home, where it is currently being stored in a freezer. Despite the possibility of the historic find, they will not say where they found the body.
"We have no intentions of revealing the location. We want to protect this [creature]," stated Whitton during the press conference. He also mentioned that an autopsy is going to be conducted on the body.
The two men had earlier claimed that DNA evidence, photos and video would be presented during the conference, but only one photo was shown. Whitton states that all evidence will be provided once the autopsy, scheduled for next week, is completed.
The single photo shown at the conference portrays a blurred black figure in the distance. Whitton claims the creature was walking "parallel" to them as they hauled out the corpse. Another photo on Whitton's website www.searchingforbigfoot.com shows what is allegedly the corpse, decapitated and stuffed into a freezer.
Tom Biscardi, founder of the Great American Bigfoot Research Organization, joined Whitton and Dyer at the press conference. Biscardi has previously been caught in a hoax. In 2005, his organization claimed to have caught a live male Bigfoot.
Science website LiveScience, run by Imaginova, openly speculates that this is a hoax because of the involvement of Biscardi. It theorizes that this may be a marketing scheme to promote an upcoming film by Biscardi, entitled Bigfoot Lives.
At least one other person states that the group's pronouncement is a hoax. Jerry Parrino, owner of TheHorrorDome.com, a website that sells Halloween costumes, was quoted as saying to Fox News that the photo appeared to resemble a costume that is being sold on his site.
"It definitely looks like our costume. This body has little to do with Bigfoot and everything to do with a Sasquatch costume that someone developed," stated Parrino.
Despite the claim, the Fish and Wildlife Reserve refuses to investigate the alleged discovery because it does not appear on an endangered species list in either the state of Georgia or the U.S..
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Bigfoot' hunters claim to have found corpse of mythical creature in Georgia, USA | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Bigfoot%27_hunters_claim_to_have_found_corpse_of_legendary_creature_in_Georgia,_USA |
During a press conference in Palo Alto, California, hunters of the mythical creature Bigfoot claimed to have found a corpse of the creature. Matt Whitton and Rick Dyer say that they were hunting for the creature in the forests of Northeastern Georgia in the United States when they came across the corpse of one of the alleged animals.
After finding the body, Whitton and Dyer allegedly took it home, where it is currently being stored in a freezer. Despite the possibility of the historic find, they will not say where they found the body.
"We have no intentions of revealing the location. We want to protect this [creature]," stated Whitton during the press conference. He also mentioned that an autopsy is going to be conducted on the body.
The two men had earlier claimed that DNA evidence, photos and video would be presented during the conference, but only one photo was shown. Whitton states that all evidence will be provided once the autopsy, scheduled for next week, is completed.
The single photo shown at the conference portrays a blurred black figure in the distance. Whitton claims the creature was walking "parallel" to them as they hauled out the corpse. Another photo on Whitton's website www.searchingforbigfoot.com shows what is allegedly the corpse, decapitated and stuffed into a freezer.
Tom Biscardi, founder of the Great American Bigfoot Research Organization, joined Whitton and Dyer at the press conference. Biscardi has previously been caught in a hoax. In 2005, his organization claimed to have caught a live male Bigfoot.
Science website LiveScience, run by Imaginova, openly speculates that this is a hoax because of the involvement of Biscardi. It theorizes that this may be a marketing scheme to promote an upcoming film by Biscardi, entitled Bigfoot Lives.
At least one other person states that the group's pronouncement is a hoax. Jerry Parrino, owner of TheHorrorDome.com, a website that sells Halloween costumes, was quoted as saying to Fox News that the photo appeared to resemble a costume that is being sold on his site.
"It definitely looks like our costume. This body has little to do with Bigfoot and everything to do with a Sasquatch costume that someone developed," stated Parrino.
Despite the claim, the Fish and Wildlife Reserve refuses to investigate the alleged discovery because it does not appear on an endangered species list in either the state of Georgia or the U.S..
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Bigfoot' hunters claim to have found corpse of mythical creature in Georgia, USA | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Bigfoot%27_hunters_claim_to_have_found_corpse_of_mythical_creature_in_Georgia,_USA |
Via press release on Friday, Andy Martin, a perennial candidate for political office and self-proclaimed "Birther King", announced he is seeking the U.S. Republican Party's 2016 presidential nomination, his fourth bid for the White House. In his announcement and subsequent release, Martin expresses a desire to participate in Republican presidential debates and aligns himself with fellow Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Additionally, he outlines six reasons for running, including degrading the candidacy of former Florida governor Jeb Bush, who is also seeking the Republican nomination.
"I have been a loyal Republican," says Martin in his announcement, "loyal to the principles of our party but not necessarily loyal to some of its failed leaders."
Martin, best known for spreading multiple conspiracy theories concerning the birth and religion of U.S. President Barack Obama, previously ran for the Democratic Party presidential nomination in 1988, and unsuccessfully sought the backing of the Republican Party in 2000 and 2012. In 2012, he received a total of 19 votes in the New Hampshire Primary, the only primary ballot on which he appeared.
For 2016, Martin does not harbor high expectations of electoral success, though he hopes to receive an invitation to the debates. In reference to the seventeen candidates invited to the two August 6 Fox News debates, Martin casts himself as the "eighteenth candidate," willing to participate in the second-tier debate. Moreover, he declares himself as the "second-most exciting" candidate, reserving first place for Trump, whom Martin praises throughout his announcement. Although he described Trump's previous foray into politics as a "charade" during a 2011 interview with Wikinews, Martin now sees himself as Trump's "tag team" partner in attacking the Bush candidacy.
"Trump has the raw media power to weaken Bush," says Martin, "I have the negative information and hardball media tactics to make Bush a toxic candidate for the Republican base."
Martin adamantly opposes Bush because of the foreign policy of the candidate's brother, former President George W. Bush. He also criticizes Bush for his alleged economic benefit from the collapse of Lehman Brothers, labeling Bush as a "front man for a handful of corrupt plutocrats that have raped [the nation's] economy." Martin has previously criticized the Bush family during his 2000 campaign, when he ran television ads accusing then-presidential candidate George W. Bush of abusing cocaine and alcohol.
In addition to preventing Bush from gaining the Republican nomination, Martin intends to focus his campaign on protecting the prestige of the New Hampshire Primary and Iowa Caucus, defending the economic legacy of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, combating political correctness, emphasizing U.S. relations with Greece, and fighting political corruption.
Martin filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission last month to run for president in 2016 officially. He joins 139 other Republican Party presidential candidates who have done likewise.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Birther King' announces 2016 campaign for U.S. president | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Birther_King%27_announces_2016_campaign_for_U.S._president |
The recording of technical data such as airspeed, altitude, control inputs etc is not handled by the cockpit voice recorder, as suggested in this article, but is in fact handled by the flight data recorder.
This article uses the term 'black box' for the cockpit voice recorder, a device which records all the sounds in the cockpit. However, the flight data recorder is also often referred to as a black box.
Investigators have found the black box of an Airblue flight that crashed into the Margalla Hills of Pakistan's capital city on Wednesday. The flight data recorder was also recovered Saturday morning. Airblue Flight 202 departed from Karachi, Pakistan, and was bound for the capital Islamabad when it crashed into the Margalla Hills due to bad weather conditions. All 152 people aboard, including the 6 crewmembers, were killed.
Junaid Amin, the head of Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority, told CNN the recorders will be sent to either Germany or France, which have the necessary resources to analyze the data. Such an investigation could take months to complete, however.
The black box records communication data and technical information such as speed and altitude, as well as conversations in the airplane cockpit. It could thus help investigators determine why the plane crashed.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Black box' found near crash site of Airblue flight | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Black_box%27_found_near_crash_site_of_Airblue_flight |
The black boxes from an Air India flight that crashed into a valley of near the southern Indian city of Mangalore Saturday, killing 158 of the 166 onboard, have been found by investigators. The flight data recorder was recovered late yesterday and the cockpit voice recorder was located today.
At the end of Sunday, 146 of the 158 bodies have been identified, and all have been recovered.
According to reports, the plane touched down at Mangalore's Bajpe airport, overshooting the touchdown point by several thousand feet; one tire did not hit the runway at all. Sudden braking occured, the airliner's wings hit a neighboring cliff, and the plane careened into a heavily forested ravine where it burst into flames. "The plane veered off toward some trees on the side and then the cabin filled with smoke," said survivor Umer Farooq, "I got caught in some cables but managed to scramble out." "I didn't think of anything at the time. All I knew was that I had to get out and get far away from the plane. The fire was spreading fast. Behind me I could feel other people jumping out but I didn't turn back to look," said survivor Koolikkunnu Krishnan.
The black boxes record communication data, technical information such as speed, altitude, etc., as well as conversation in the airplane cockpit, which could help investigators determine why the jet crashed. "The black box has been recovered from the crash site. It is vital in finding information about key details like the last moments of the flight and whether there was any error from the pilot's side. The box will be brought to the accident lab of the Director General of Civil Aviation in the national capital where it will be opened and to find out what exactly went wrong," reported investigators. They did not clarify which box they were refering to, but both have been recovered.
The Air India Express Boeing 737-800, which had departed from Dubai of the United Arab Emirates, was bound for Mangalore in the southern Indian state of Karnataka. The Bajpe airport has a "tabletop" runway which means it is set atop a hill surrounded by a deep gorge. The airport, which was constructed in 2006, has seen over 32,000 successful landings since opening. After visiting the eight survivors, Arvind Jadhav, chairman of Air India said, "My heart goes out to those who died and who lost friends and relatives."
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| 'Black boxes' pulled from Air India plane wreckage | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Black_boxes%27_pulled_from_Air_India_plane_wreckage |
Iran's Minister of Justice Gholam-Hossein Elham has requested that Dutch politician Geert Wilders' Qur'an film named Fitna should be prohibited by the Dutch government, Iranian press-agency IRNA reports. Elham wrote a letter to his Dutch colleague Ernst Hirsch Ballin stating that: "you can stop the process of this satanic and conspiracy movement based on the European Convention on Human Rights".
Freedom of speech cannot be the reason to allow this film, they say. "We also respect freedom of speech, but the insult of holy and ethical values is totally unacceptable," Elham writes. "The rights of Muslims all over the world are violated by this blaspheming movie." The Qur'an is the holy book for some 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide.
Wilders announced his "shocking" movie to be ready in March 2008.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Blaspheming' movie should be prohibited says Iran government | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Blaspheming%27_movie_should_be_prohibited_says_Iran_government |
File:Civil Rights Mural SMC May 2007.jpg
On Tuesday, the "Bloody Sunday Inquiry" published its report into 1972 British Army killing of fourteen civil rights activists in Northern Ireland.
The Saville Inquiry, a twelve-year-long public inquiry into the fatal shooting, published their 5,000-page report; stating, the deaths were "unjustified".
The events of "Bloody Sunday" in 1972 saw soldiers open fire on civilians during a civil rights march. Family members and supporters of the victims reacted positively to the report, as they gathering outside the Guildhall in Derry.
"What happened on Bloody Sunday was both unjustified and unjustifiable. It was wrong", British Prime Minister David Cameron told the House of Commons. He also said, "[t]he Government is ultimately responsible for the conduct of the armed forces, and for that, on behalf of the Government, indeed on behalf of our country, I am deeply sorry", and that "[t]here is no doubt. There's nothing equivocal, there are no ambiguities".
Cameron said the Saville report states that those killed did not pose a threat and some of those killed and injured were clearly fleeing or going to help those injured or dying. Some of the key findings were;
Twenty-seven civil rights activists were shot by the British Army's Parachute Regiment (of which "1 Para" was identified as the regiment mainly responsible) during an illegal Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association (NICRA) march in the Bogside area of Derry in 1972. The NICRA was an organisation, formed in early 1967, which campaigned against discrimination of the Roman Catholic minority in Northern Ireland and had five key demands: "one man, one vote"; an end to gerrymandering, housing discrimination, public authority discrimination and the abolition of the B Specials police reserve.
In the aftermath of Bloody Sunday, an inquiry by the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Widgery, justified British army actions on the day and claimed that many of the activists were armed with guns and nail bombs. Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) leader MP Mark Durkan said, "[t]he families have waited a long time for justice and for a long time the reputations and innocence of their loved ones have been smeared by the findings of Widgery".
The shootings lead to the strengthening of Irish republicans' anti-British army arguments in the Nationalist community and provided the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) with queues of new recruits for its "long war", which resulted in 30 years of The Troubles.
The 12-year inquiry is the longest-running and most expensive public inquiry in British judicial history, costing around £200 million. Around 2,500 people gave testimony, including 505 civilians, nine experts and forensic scientists, 49 journalists, 245 military personnel, 35 paramilitaries or former paramilitaries, 39 politicians and civil servants, seven priests and 33 Royal Ulster Constabulary officers. Evidence included 160 volumes of data with an estimated 30 million words, 13 volumes of photographs, 121 audio tapes and 10 video tapes.
The victims included Patrick Doherty (32), Hugh Gilmour (17), Jackie Duddy (17), John Young (17), Kevin McElhinney (17), Michael Kelly (17), Gerald Donaghey (17), William Nash (19), Michael McDaid (20), Jim Wray (22), William McKinney (27) and Bernard "Barney" McGuigan (41). John Johnston (59) died four months later.
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| 'Bloody Sunday Inquiry' publishes report into British Army killing of activists in Northern Ireland | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Bloody_Sunday_Inquiry%27_publishes_report_into_1972_British_Army_killing_of_fourteen_civil_rights_activists_in_Northern_Ireland |
File:Civil Rights Mural SMC May 2007.jpg
On Tuesday, the "Bloody Sunday Inquiry" published its report into 1972 British Army killing of fourteen civil rights activists in Northern Ireland.
The Saville Inquiry, a twelve-year-long public inquiry into the fatal shooting, published their 5,000-page report; stating, the deaths were "unjustified".
The events of "Bloody Sunday" in 1972 saw soldiers open fire on civilians during a civil rights march. Family members and supporters of the victims reacted positively to the report, as they gathering outside the Guildhall in Derry.
"What happened on Bloody Sunday was both unjustified and unjustifiable. It was wrong", British Prime Minister David Cameron told the House of Commons. He also said, "[t]he Government is ultimately responsible for the conduct of the armed forces, and for that, on behalf of the Government, indeed on behalf of our country, I am deeply sorry", and that "[t]here is no doubt. There's nothing equivocal, there are no ambiguities".
Cameron said the Saville report states that those killed did not pose a threat and some of those killed and injured were clearly fleeing or going to help those injured or dying. Some of the key findings were;
Twenty-seven civil rights activists were shot by the British Army's Parachute Regiment (of which "1 Para" was identified as the regiment mainly responsible) during an illegal Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association (NICRA) march in the Bogside area of Derry in 1972. The NICRA was an organisation, formed in early 1967, which campaigned against discrimination of the Roman Catholic minority in Northern Ireland and had five key demands: "one man, one vote"; an end to gerrymandering, housing discrimination, public authority discrimination and the abolition of the B Specials police reserve.
In the aftermath of Bloody Sunday, an inquiry by the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Widgery, justified British army actions on the day and claimed that many of the activists were armed with guns and nail bombs. Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) leader MP Mark Durkan said, "[t]he families have waited a long time for justice and for a long time the reputations and innocence of their loved ones have been smeared by the findings of Widgery".
The shootings lead to the strengthening of Irish republicans' anti-British army arguments in the Nationalist community and provided the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) with queues of new recruits for its "long war", which resulted in 30 years of The Troubles.
The 12-year inquiry is the longest-running and most expensive public inquiry in British judicial history, costing around £200 million. Around 2,500 people gave testimony, including 505 civilians, nine experts and forensic scientists, 49 journalists, 245 military personnel, 35 paramilitaries or former paramilitaries, 39 politicians and civil servants, seven priests and 33 Royal Ulster Constabulary officers. Evidence included 160 volumes of data with an estimated 30 million words, 13 volumes of photographs, 121 audio tapes and 10 video tapes.
The victims included Patrick Doherty (32), Hugh Gilmour (17), Jackie Duddy (17), John Young (17), Kevin McElhinney (17), Michael Kelly (17), Gerald Donaghey (17), William Nash (19), Michael McDaid (20), Jim Wray (22), William McKinney (27) and Bernard "Barney" McGuigan (41). John Johnston (59) died four months later.
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| 'Bloody Sunday Inquiry' publishes report into British Army killing of activists in Northern Ireland | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Bloody_Sunday_Inquiry%27_publishes_report_into_British_Army_killing_of_activists_in_Northern_Ireland |
At least fourteen former paramilitary group members are dead as the result of a bus crash in Guatemala. BBC News Online reports at least 25 other paramilitaries were injured. According to the Herald Sun, at least 50 were injured in the crash.
—Crash survivorThe incident happened when the bus was near the city of San Marcos. In the early hours of the morning, the bus departed from the mountain road and went into a ravine that is 50 metres (164 feet) in depth. There were approximately 60 passengers on the vehicle when the accident occurred.
Injured survivors of the crash were transported to local hospitals. One of the survivors of the accident explained to the local media that "[t]he driver was going very fast and when we got to the curve his brakes failed and we went into the ravine". Rescue crews have also suggested that braking system problems were the cause of the crash. According to BBC News Online, road traffic collisions often occur on the mountainous Guatemalan roads.
All of the passengers of the vehicle are participators in a reforestation project, and were travelling towards the municipality of Concepción Tutuapa to receive payment for their work on the project. The project was which was created by the government to give them employment. Previously, the military had created the group to assist in fighting against left-wing rebels during the Guatemalan Civil War.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Brakes failed': fourteen killed in Guatemala bus crash | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Brakes_failed%27:_Guatemala_bus_crash_kills_14 |
At least fourteen former paramilitary group members are dead as the result of a bus crash in Guatemala. BBC News Online reports at least 25 other paramilitaries were injured. According to the Herald Sun, at least 50 were injured in the crash.
—Crash survivorThe incident happened when the bus was near the city of San Marcos. In the early hours of the morning, the bus departed from the mountain road and went into a ravine that is 50 metres (164 feet) in depth. There were approximately 60 passengers on the vehicle when the accident occurred.
Injured survivors of the crash were transported to local hospitals. One of the survivors of the accident explained to the local media that "[t]he driver was going very fast and when we got to the curve his brakes failed and we went into the ravine". Rescue crews have also suggested that braking system problems were the cause of the crash. According to BBC News Online, road traffic collisions often occur on the mountainous Guatemalan roads.
All of the passengers of the vehicle are participators in a reforestation project, and were travelling towards the municipality of Concepción Tutuapa to receive payment for their work on the project. The project was which was created by the government to give them employment. Previously, the military had created the group to assist in fighting against left-wing rebels during the Guatemalan Civil War.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Brakes failed': fourteen killed in Guatemala bus crash | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Brakes_failed%27:_fourteen_killed_in_Guatemala_bus_crash |
A new video on popular internet video site YouTube has raised a question: Is it fake or real?
The movie entitled Bride Has Massive Hair Wig Out that was released on the 18th of January shows a woman who is going to get married within hours, but instead she cuts off all her hair.
First, the woman, named Jodie, who has just got her hair done at the hairdressers', comes back to a hotel room where three bridesmaids are doing last-minute preparations. She runs in and falls to the ground screaming that her hair is ugly. They try to comfort her, but that isn't enough for the so called "Bridezilla": she cuts off her hair with a pair of scissors while the bridesmaids watch, taping it all on video camera.
The video, which is still on the main page of YouTube, has been watched over 2 million times. The person who posted the video, wigoutgirl, claims to be 25 and from Canada. It is speculated that the video was shot in a Toronto, Ontario hotel room.
Some YouTube users are saying that it is fake, some say it's real.
On February 1, 2007, the original poster, wigoutgirl, removed the video from YouTube. She is a student at Ryerson University in Toronto. [1] The 22-year-old, Jodi Behan, did cut her hair. The video was filmed by Ingrid Hass, a Ryerson University graduate.
They did it to promote their acting skills.
"I mean, there's going to be lots of different things you're going to have to do for acting parts so why hold out?" said Jodi Behan. "We're all actors so we're really excited for all the opportunities for everyone."
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Bridezilla' YouTube video: many debate legitimacy | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Bridezilla%27_YouTube_video:_fake_or_real%3F |
A new video on popular internet video site YouTube has raised a question: Is it fake or real?
The movie entitled Bride Has Massive Hair Wig Out that was released on the 18th of January shows a woman who is going to get married within hours, but instead she cuts off all her hair.
First, the woman, named Jodie, who has just got her hair done at the hairdressers', comes back to a hotel room where three bridesmaids are doing last-minute preparations. She runs in and falls to the ground screaming that her hair is ugly. They try to comfort her, but that isn't enough for the so called "Bridezilla": she cuts off her hair with a pair of scissors while the bridesmaids watch, taping it all on video camera.
The video, which is still on the main page of YouTube, has been watched over 2 million times. The person who posted the video, wigoutgirl, claims to be 25 and from Canada. It is speculated that the video was shot in a Toronto, Ontario hotel room.
Some YouTube users are saying that it is fake, some say it's real.
On February 1, 2007, the original poster, wigoutgirl, removed the video from YouTube. She is a student at Ryerson University in Toronto. [1] The 22-year-old, Jodi Behan, did cut her hair. The video was filmed by Ingrid Hass, a Ryerson University graduate.
They did it to promote their acting skills.
"I mean, there's going to be lots of different things you're going to have to do for acting parts so why hold out?" said Jodi Behan. "We're all actors so we're really excited for all the opportunities for everyone."
Have an opinion on this story? Share it!
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Bridezilla' YouTube video: many debate legitimacy | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Bridezilla%27_YouTube_video:_many_debate_legitimacy |
NASA Tech Briefs INSIDER newsletter 02/05/08 reports that the winner of the $20,000 first prize in the agency's "Create the Future" contest is an invention called "Litroenergy", the luminous output of micro particle "Litrospheres." Their self-luminance reportedly endures for over 12 years. The spheres are inexpensive, making them useful in many ways. The emitted light is said to be equivalent to a 40 watt bulb, sufficient for reading.
The invention is reported to safely encapsulate a small quantity of electron-emitting tritium with light emitting phosphors inside a robust microscopic sphere. Mixed into paints, plastic films or adhesive tape the spheres can be applied to surfaces for under a dollar per square foot. The maker suggests they will find first use in safety applications such as exit signage and aircraft corridor marking.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Bright' idea lights its way to win NASA contest | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Bright%27_Idea_Lights_Its_Way_to_Win_NASA_Contest |
NASA Tech Briefs INSIDER newsletter 02/05/08 reports that the winner of the $20,000 first prize in the agency's "Create the Future" contest is an invention called "Litroenergy", the luminous output of micro particle "Litrospheres." Their self-luminance reportedly endures for over 12 years. The spheres are inexpensive, making them useful in many ways. The emitted light is said to be equivalent to a 40 watt bulb, sufficient for reading.
The invention is reported to safely encapsulate a small quantity of electron-emitting tritium with light emitting phosphors inside a robust microscopic sphere. Mixed into paints, plastic films or adhesive tape the spheres can be applied to surfaces for under a dollar per square foot. The maker suggests they will find first use in safety applications such as exit signage and aircraft corridor marking.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Bright' idea lights its way to win NASA contest | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Bright%27_idea_lights_it_way_to_win_contest. |
NASA Tech Briefs INSIDER newsletter 02/05/08 reports that the winner of the $20,000 first prize in the agency's "Create the Future" contest is an invention called "Litroenergy", the luminous output of micro particle "Litrospheres." Their self-luminance reportedly endures for over 12 years. The spheres are inexpensive, making them useful in many ways. The emitted light is said to be equivalent to a 40 watt bulb, sufficient for reading.
The invention is reported to safely encapsulate a small quantity of electron-emitting tritium with light emitting phosphors inside a robust microscopic sphere. Mixed into paints, plastic films or adhesive tape the spheres can be applied to surfaces for under a dollar per square foot. The maker suggests they will find first use in safety applications such as exit signage and aircraft corridor marking.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Bright' idea lights its way to win NASA contest | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Bright%27_idea_lights_its_way_to_win_NASA_contest |
NASA Tech Briefs INSIDER newsletter 02/05/08 reports that the winner of the $20,000 first prize in the agency's "Create the Future" contest is an invention called "Litroenergy", the luminous output of micro particle "Litrospheres." Their self-luminance reportedly endures for over 12 years. The spheres are inexpensive, making them useful in many ways. The emitted light is said to be equivalent to a 40 watt bulb, sufficient for reading.
The invention is reported to safely encapsulate a small quantity of electron-emitting tritium with light emitting phosphors inside a robust microscopic sphere. Mixed into paints, plastic films or adhesive tape the spheres can be applied to surfaces for under a dollar per square foot. The maker suggests they will find first use in safety applications such as exit signage and aircraft corridor marking.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Bright' idea lights its way to win NASA contest | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Bright%27_idea_lights_its_way_to_win_contest |
NASA Tech Briefs INSIDER newsletter 02/05/08 reports that the winner of the $20,000 first prize in the agency's "Create the Future" contest is an invention called "Litroenergy", the luminous output of micro particle "Litrospheres." Their self-luminance reportedly endures for over 12 years. The spheres are inexpensive, making them useful in many ways. The emitted light is said to be equivalent to a 40 watt bulb, sufficient for reading.
The invention is reported to safely encapsulate a small quantity of electron-emitting tritium with light emitting phosphors inside a robust microscopic sphere. Mixed into paints, plastic films or adhesive tape the spheres can be applied to surfaces for under a dollar per square foot. The maker suggests they will find first use in safety applications such as exit signage and aircraft corridor marking.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Bright' idea lights its way to win NASA contest | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Bright%27_idea_lights_its_way_to_win_contest. |
A video has surfaced which shows police in St. Paul, Minnesota arresting over 200 people at a city park during the first day of the Republican National Convention (RNC) on September 1, 2008. The video first appeared on YouTube which was then picked up and reported on by the political news websites Alternet.org and Blue Linchpin. Glass Bead Collective (GBC), which had interviewed the author of one of the buried videos, was preemptively raided before the RNC according to an interview published on Democracynow.org.
The video, which had been buried in the park's ground by the author only known as 'Wes', shows hundreds of people, protesters and others who were there to only to attend the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) concert and were not part of the convention at all; talking amongst themselves or passing through. Nearly 400 armed police officers, dressed in full riot gear, then began to surround them. Some officers were on bicycles while others were on horses. Some people began to yell for help while others complained that the officers cut them off from water and the use of restrooms for at least an hour. One video shows police shooting canisters of tear gas and percussion grenades at seemingly peaceful protesters, some who were on bicycles, were running and screaming for help.
According to another video posted on Alternet.org, among those arrested were people just passing through or were there to use its services. It also states that the National Guard was dispatched to the park. When the narrator of one of the videos asks the police what the police are waiting for, he replies "we are waiting for them [other officers] to let us know when we can let you leave." Several minutes later, police began to arrest everyone they surrounded.
"Ladies and gentlemen, you are [all] under arrest. Please be seated, place your hands on your head and cooperate with us," stated a police officer speaking through a megaphone. In the background one female is heard saying, "Are you serious?"
The Glass Bead Collective tells Wikinews that 'Wes' was charged with "felony rioting" but that after spending three days in jail, "his charges were downgraded to misdemeanors right before he saw the judge". GBC also tells Wikinews that about a week after being released, 'Wes' went back to the park and retrieved his videotape.
It is not known if anyone was injured nor if any individuals remain in jail. Reports say that 800 people were arrested during the convention, with nearly 20% of those being the people inside the park.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Buried' video surfaces of police making mass arrests during the Republican National Convention | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Buried%27_video_surfaces_of_police_making_mass_arrests_during_the_Republican_National_Convention |
A video has surfaced which shows police in St. Paul, Minnesota arresting over 200 people at a city park during the first day of the Republican National Convention (RNC) on September 1, 2008. The video first appeared on YouTube which was then picked up and reported on by the political news websites Alternet.org and Blue Linchpin. Glass Bead Collective (GBC), which had interviewed the author of one of the buried videos, was preemptively raided before the RNC according to an interview published on Democracynow.org.
The video, which had been buried in the park's ground by the author only known as 'Wes', shows hundreds of people, protesters and others who were there to only to attend the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) concert and were not part of the convention at all; talking amongst themselves or passing through. Nearly 400 armed police officers, dressed in full riot gear, then began to surround them. Some officers were on bicycles while others were on horses. Some people began to yell for help while others complained that the officers cut them off from water and the use of restrooms for at least an hour. One video shows police shooting canisters of tear gas and percussion grenades at seemingly peaceful protesters, some who were on bicycles, were running and screaming for help.
According to another video posted on Alternet.org, among those arrested were people just passing through or were there to use its services. It also states that the National Guard was dispatched to the park. When the narrator of one of the videos asks the police what the police are waiting for, he replies "we are waiting for them [other officers] to let us know when we can let you leave." Several minutes later, police began to arrest everyone they surrounded.
"Ladies and gentlemen, you are [all] under arrest. Please be seated, place your hands on your head and cooperate with us," stated a police officer speaking through a megaphone. In the background one female is heard saying, "Are you serious?"
The Glass Bead Collective tells Wikinews that 'Wes' was charged with "felony rioting" but that after spending three days in jail, "his charges were downgraded to misdemeanors right before he saw the judge". GBC also tells Wikinews that about a week after being released, 'Wes' went back to the park and retrieved his videotape.
It is not known if anyone was injured nor if any individuals remain in jail. Reports say that 800 people were arrested during the convention, with nearly 20% of those being the people inside the park.
Have an opinion on this story? Share it!
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Buried' video surfaces of police making mass arrests during the Republican National Convention | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Buried%27_videos_surface_of_police_making_mass_arrests_during_RNC |
A video has surfaced which shows police in St. Paul, Minnesota arresting over 200 people at a city park during the first day of the Republican National Convention (RNC) on September 1, 2008. The video first appeared on YouTube which was then picked up and reported on by the political news websites Alternet.org and Blue Linchpin. Glass Bead Collective (GBC), which had interviewed the author of one of the buried videos, was preemptively raided before the RNC according to an interview published on Democracynow.org.
The video, which had been buried in the park's ground by the author only known as 'Wes', shows hundreds of people, protesters and others who were there to only to attend the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) concert and were not part of the convention at all; talking amongst themselves or passing through. Nearly 400 armed police officers, dressed in full riot gear, then began to surround them. Some officers were on bicycles while others were on horses. Some people began to yell for help while others complained that the officers cut them off from water and the use of restrooms for at least an hour. One video shows police shooting canisters of tear gas and percussion grenades at seemingly peaceful protesters, some who were on bicycles, were running and screaming for help.
According to another video posted on Alternet.org, among those arrested were people just passing through or were there to use its services. It also states that the National Guard was dispatched to the park. When the narrator of one of the videos asks the police what the police are waiting for, he replies "we are waiting for them [other officers] to let us know when we can let you leave." Several minutes later, police began to arrest everyone they surrounded.
"Ladies and gentlemen, you are [all] under arrest. Please be seated, place your hands on your head and cooperate with us," stated a police officer speaking through a megaphone. In the background one female is heard saying, "Are you serious?"
The Glass Bead Collective tells Wikinews that 'Wes' was charged with "felony rioting" but that after spending three days in jail, "his charges were downgraded to misdemeanors right before he saw the judge". GBC also tells Wikinews that about a week after being released, 'Wes' went back to the park and retrieved his videotape.
It is not known if anyone was injured nor if any individuals remain in jail. Reports say that 800 people were arrested during the convention, with nearly 20% of those being the people inside the park.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Buried' video surfaces of police making mass arrests during the Republican National Convention | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Buried%27_videos_surface_of_police_making_mass_arrests_during_the_Republican_National_Convention |
Venezuela-born Ilich Ramírez Sánchez was back in a French court on Monday. The 67-year-old, better known as Carlos the Jackal from his notoriety as a political terrorist, now faces trial for an attack in 1974 on a Parisian shopping centre. The attack killed two and injured 34.
—Ilich Ramírez SánchezFile:Carlos the Jackal.jpg
Ramírez Sánchez, who was being defended by his lawyer and long-term partner Isabelle Coutant-Peyre, called the trial a "gross manipulation of justice" and pleaded innocent to the charge of throwing a hand grenade into the centre in 1974. He gave a long statement to the court in which he proclaimed "No-one has executed more people than me in the Palestinian resistance [...] In all the fighting, there were collateral victims, it's unfortunate". When asked for his profession he stated he was a "professional revolutionary".
While Ramírez Sánchez's lawyer, Coutant-Peyre, denounced the trial as pointless, victims' lawyer George Holleaux said, "The victims have been waiting so long for Ramírez to be judged and convicted. Their wounds have never healed."
Ramírez Sánchez already faces two life sentences for convictions of murders and attacks that took place in France during the '70s and '80s committed in the name of the Palestinian cause or communist revolution. If found guilty, Ramírez Sánchez faces a third life sentence.
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| 'Carlos the Jackal' on trial for third life sentence | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Carlos_the_Jackal%27_on_trial_for_third_life_sentence |
This past weekend, a "Cartoons country" festival started in Moscow in Polyot cinema. The program included free access to cartoons in governmental cinemas network during the next week. The opening ceremony involved watching cartoons, a fair, and a chocolate fountain. The festival is run by "Kinoobedinenie for children and the youth" and Association of animated pictures .
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Cartoons country' festival in Moscow: in pictures | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Cartoons_country%27_festival_in_Moscow:_in_pictures |
Charlie, a Chimpanzee in a South African zoo who became addicted to cigarettes, has died at the age of 52, exceeding the average lifespan of a captive chimpanzee by twelve years. After a video of Charlie puffing on cigarettes discarded by visitors appeared on the Internet, the animal and the zoo gained international attention and some visitors threw him additional cigarettes.
According to his keepers, Charlie was "an occasional smoker" and even tried to hide his habit from his keepers, who were trying to get him to quit by giving him medical care and a special diet. A recent study found that only seven percent of chimpanzees in captivity live beyond forty years of age. It is estimated that 500,000 people die due to smoking-related diseases every year in the United States alone.
It is believed that Charlie learned to smoke during his time in a US circus before being transferred to the zoo. Zookeepers say that the animal died of old age but an autopsy has yet to confirm this. The zoo suggested that Charlie's body could be stuffed and put on display.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | Charlie the smoking chimpanzee dies aged 52 | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Charlie%27_the_smoking_chimpanzee_dies_aged_52 |
Charlie, a Chimpanzee in a South African zoo who became addicted to cigarettes, has died at the age of 52, exceeding the average lifespan of a captive chimpanzee by twelve years. After a video of Charlie puffing on cigarettes discarded by visitors appeared on the Internet, the animal and the zoo gained international attention and some visitors threw him additional cigarettes.
According to his keepers, Charlie was "an occasional smoker" and even tried to hide his habit from his keepers, who were trying to get him to quit by giving him medical care and a special diet. A recent study found that only seven percent of chimpanzees in captivity live beyond forty years of age. It is estimated that 500,000 people die due to smoking-related diseases every year in the United States alone.
It is believed that Charlie learned to smoke during his time in a US circus before being transferred to the zoo. Zookeepers say that the animal died of old age but an autopsy has yet to confirm this. The zoo suggested that Charlie's body could be stuffed and put on display.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | Charlie the smoking chimpanzee dies aged 52 | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Charlie%27_the_smoking_chimpanzee_dies_at_age_52 |
The New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado has reached a financial settlement with its founder (and former head of National Association of Evangelicals) pastor Ted Haggard. Haggard stepped aside as senior pastor in the Church in November 2006, when a male prostitute claimed that he had engaged in a three year relationship with Haggard and that the two used methamphetamine.
Haggard, who was publicly critical of homosexuality, has agreed to leave the church he founded and led for two decades with a promise that he will not discuss the scandal, will move out of Colorado Springs, and will not reveal how much his financial settlement is.
On February 4th, Haggard sent an e-mail to New Life members stating, "We all wanted to know why I developed such incongruity in my life. Thankfully, with the tools we gained there, along with the powerful way God has been illuminating his Word and the Holy Spirit has been convicting me and healing me, we now have growing understanding which is giving me some hope for the future."
Rev. Tim Ralph said, after Haggard completed a three-week counseling program, "He [Haggard] is completely heterosexual."
However, Mike Jones, the man who had allegedly had a 3 year relationship with Haggard publicly replied, "Give me a break." Adding, "He’s been performing oral sex on me for three years. You don’t change that in three weeks." And "Until he’s honest with himself, he’ll never be happy." Jones is currently writing a book detailing his relationship with Haggard due out in summer 2007.
According to interim senior pastor Ross Parsley, at services on Sunday February 18 the panel will "provide any necessary clarification of (Haggard's) restoration process and give us a report on the New Life staff."
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| Ted Haggard reaches financial settlement with New Life Church | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Completely_heterosexual%27_Ted_Haggard_reaches_financial_settlement_with_church |
Police in Kent, England have described a woman who called the emergency services to report the theft of a snowman as "completely irresponsible." The woman rang 999 after noticing the snowman outside her house had vanished.
"There's been a theft from outside my house," she told the operator. "I haven't been out to check on him for five hours but I went outside for a fag and he's gone." When asked who had disappeared, the woman said: "my snowman." Chief inspector Simon Black said that the call "could have cost someone's life if there was a genuine emergency and they couldn't get through."
The woman told the operator: "I thought that with it being icy and there not being anybody about he'd be safe. It ain't a nice road but you don't expect anybody to nick your snowman." Black said that they had spoken with the woman and warned her not to call unless she was in an emergency.
Even though abusing the emergency services system is a prosecutable offence in Britain, she will not be charged. "In this case the woman genuinely thought this was a theft that she should report it because she'd used pound coins for the eyes and teaspoons for the arms," Black added.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Completely irresponsible' woman called emergency services to report theft of snowman | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Completely_irresponsible%27_woman_called_emergency_services_to_report_theft_of_snowman |
File:COTA Logo.jpg
Atlanta, Georgia —
After losing their bid to host Wikimania 2008, Wikimedians from the Atlanta, Georgia bid proposal are now working to host a conference focusing on Wikimedia in the Americas.
Mike Halterman, a student at the University of South Florida and unpaid intern at the Wikimedia Foundation (WMF) offices in St. Petersburg, Florida, is helping to plan the Conference of the Americas which will be held at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) in Atlanta, Georgia on May 15-18, 2008. Several others who helped in the conference's creation include: Andrew Guyton, Dan Rosenthal, Geoff Swanstrom, Hillary Lipko, Jessica Gibson, Matt Britt, and Wikinews administrator and contributor Craig Spurrier.
"We went forward after Wikimania because we felt that we had a good idea on our hands, and all the organization and manpower should not go to waste. We can still make a difference here in our own hemisphere, which as far as Wikimedia goes, has been overlooked in favor of the world picture. We want to show the work done by people here, and how it impacts people here," said Halterman in an exclusive interview with Wikinews.
The conference is focused on "discussions of Wikimedia and the free culture movement and how they relate to communities (national/regional, social, linguistic); discussions about the impacts free culture movements have in these communities, and by the work done in said movements in everyday life," says the announcement. The discussion includes North America, specifically the United States and Canada, along with the countries of Latin America. Wikimedia Argentina and the WMF have also been given a proposal, but decisions on endorsement are still pending for both.
There will also be a journalism segment that will be held inside the Turner Broadcasting building on Techwood Drive in Midtown Atlanta.
After the location of Wikimania 2008 was announced to be in Alexandria, Egypt, the LGBT community spoke out, wondering if the jury, a group of Wikimedians who selected the location, took into account LGBT rights, safety of all attending, human rights, or free speech in the country before making their decision. There has since been discussion and controversy over the location posted on several public mailing lists.
Despite that, Halterman, who was on the bidding team to have Wikimania 2008 in Atlanta, states that the Conference of the Americas was not formed in retaliation, revenge or to "out maneuver" Wikimania 2008 and that the discussion for the COTA was taking place long before the location of Wikimania was announced. He also states that the conference's purpose is not to compete with it, but to give those who are in the western hemisphere a chance to attend a Wikimedia event for the Americas.
"This was never something that was supposed to be 'the American solution.' We aren't trying to compete with Wikimania at all. We're not out to make a statement against Wikimania. This isn't done out of anger, it's done out of a drive to unite, not to divide. We have over 100 interested parties all over the United States who want to volunteer and/or attend in some fashion or another. Reaching out to the other communities is high on our list of priorities and we really do want to make this a hemispheric effort" as "it's more expensive for people to go to Egypt over something in their own country or something close enough to it," said Halterman to Wikinews.
The conference is sponsored by Georgia Tech, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Public Journalism Network (pjnet), Ibiblio.org and the Carolina Open Source Initiative.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Conference of the Americas' announced for 2008 | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Conference_of_the_Americas%27_announced_for_2008 |
File:COTA Logo.jpg
Atlanta, Georgia —
After losing their bid to host Wikimania 2008, Wikimedians from the Atlanta, Georgia bid proposal are now working to host a conference focusing on Wikimedia in the Americas.
Mike Halterman, a student at the University of South Florida and unpaid intern at the Wikimedia Foundation (WMF) offices in St. Petersburg, Florida, is helping to plan the Conference of the Americas which will be held at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) in Atlanta, Georgia on May 15-18, 2008. Several others who helped in the conference's creation include: Andrew Guyton, Dan Rosenthal, Geoff Swanstrom, Hillary Lipko, Jessica Gibson, Matt Britt, and Wikinews administrator and contributor Craig Spurrier.
"We went forward after Wikimania because we felt that we had a good idea on our hands, and all the organization and manpower should not go to waste. We can still make a difference here in our own hemisphere, which as far as Wikimedia goes, has been overlooked in favor of the world picture. We want to show the work done by people here, and how it impacts people here," said Halterman in an exclusive interview with Wikinews.
The conference is focused on "discussions of Wikimedia and the free culture movement and how they relate to communities (national/regional, social, linguistic); discussions about the impacts free culture movements have in these communities, and by the work done in said movements in everyday life," says the announcement. The discussion includes North America, specifically the United States and Canada, along with the countries of Latin America. Wikimedia Argentina and the WMF have also been given a proposal, but decisions on endorsement are still pending for both.
There will also be a journalism segment that will be held inside the Turner Broadcasting building on Techwood Drive in Midtown Atlanta.
After the location of Wikimania 2008 was announced to be in Alexandria, Egypt, the LGBT community spoke out, wondering if the jury, a group of Wikimedians who selected the location, took into account LGBT rights, safety of all attending, human rights, or free speech in the country before making their decision. There has since been discussion and controversy over the location posted on several public mailing lists.
Despite that, Halterman, who was on the bidding team to have Wikimania 2008 in Atlanta, states that the Conference of the Americas was not formed in retaliation, revenge or to "out maneuver" Wikimania 2008 and that the discussion for the COTA was taking place long before the location of Wikimania was announced. He also states that the conference's purpose is not to compete with it, but to give those who are in the western hemisphere a chance to attend a Wikimedia event for the Americas.
"This was never something that was supposed to be 'the American solution.' We aren't trying to compete with Wikimania at all. We're not out to make a statement against Wikimania. This isn't done out of anger, it's done out of a drive to unite, not to divide. We have over 100 interested parties all over the United States who want to volunteer and/or attend in some fashion or another. Reaching out to the other communities is high on our list of priorities and we really do want to make this a hemispheric effort" as "it's more expensive for people to go to Egypt over something in their own country or something close enough to it," said Halterman to Wikinews.
The conference is sponsored by Georgia Tech, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Public Journalism Network (pjnet), Ibiblio.org and the Carolina Open Source Initiative.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Conference of the Americas' announced for 2008 | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Conference_of_the_Americas,%27_alternative_to_Wikimania_2008_announced |
File:COTA Logo.jpg
Atlanta, Georgia —
After losing their bid to host Wikimania 2008, Wikimedians from the Atlanta, Georgia bid proposal are now working to host a conference focusing on Wikimedia in the Americas.
Mike Halterman, a student at the University of South Florida and unpaid intern at the Wikimedia Foundation (WMF) offices in St. Petersburg, Florida, is helping to plan the Conference of the Americas which will be held at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) in Atlanta, Georgia on May 15-18, 2008. Several others who helped in the conference's creation include: Andrew Guyton, Dan Rosenthal, Geoff Swanstrom, Hillary Lipko, Jessica Gibson, Matt Britt, and Wikinews administrator and contributor Craig Spurrier.
"We went forward after Wikimania because we felt that we had a good idea on our hands, and all the organization and manpower should not go to waste. We can still make a difference here in our own hemisphere, which as far as Wikimedia goes, has been overlooked in favor of the world picture. We want to show the work done by people here, and how it impacts people here," said Halterman in an exclusive interview with Wikinews.
The conference is focused on "discussions of Wikimedia and the free culture movement and how they relate to communities (national/regional, social, linguistic); discussions about the impacts free culture movements have in these communities, and by the work done in said movements in everyday life," says the announcement. The discussion includes North America, specifically the United States and Canada, along with the countries of Latin America. Wikimedia Argentina and the WMF have also been given a proposal, but decisions on endorsement are still pending for both.
There will also be a journalism segment that will be held inside the Turner Broadcasting building on Techwood Drive in Midtown Atlanta.
After the location of Wikimania 2008 was announced to be in Alexandria, Egypt, the LGBT community spoke out, wondering if the jury, a group of Wikimedians who selected the location, took into account LGBT rights, safety of all attending, human rights, or free speech in the country before making their decision. There has since been discussion and controversy over the location posted on several public mailing lists.
Despite that, Halterman, who was on the bidding team to have Wikimania 2008 in Atlanta, states that the Conference of the Americas was not formed in retaliation, revenge or to "out maneuver" Wikimania 2008 and that the discussion for the COTA was taking place long before the location of Wikimania was announced. He also states that the conference's purpose is not to compete with it, but to give those who are in the western hemisphere a chance to attend a Wikimedia event for the Americas.
"This was never something that was supposed to be 'the American solution.' We aren't trying to compete with Wikimania at all. We're not out to make a statement against Wikimania. This isn't done out of anger, it's done out of a drive to unite, not to divide. We have over 100 interested parties all over the United States who want to volunteer and/or attend in some fashion or another. Reaching out to the other communities is high on our list of priorities and we really do want to make this a hemispheric effort" as "it's more expensive for people to go to Egypt over something in their own country or something close enough to it," said Halterman to Wikinews.
The conference is sponsored by Georgia Tech, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Public Journalism Network (pjnet), Ibiblio.org and the Carolina Open Source Initiative.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Conference of the Americas' announced for 2008 | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Conference_of_the_Americas,%27_alternative_to_Wikimania_announced |
File:COTA Logo.jpg
Atlanta, Georgia —
After losing their bid to host Wikimania 2008, Wikimedians from the Atlanta, Georgia bid proposal are now working to host a conference focusing on Wikimedia in the Americas.
Mike Halterman, a student at the University of South Florida and unpaid intern at the Wikimedia Foundation (WMF) offices in St. Petersburg, Florida, is helping to plan the Conference of the Americas which will be held at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) in Atlanta, Georgia on May 15-18, 2008. Several others who helped in the conference's creation include: Andrew Guyton, Dan Rosenthal, Geoff Swanstrom, Hillary Lipko, Jessica Gibson, Matt Britt, and Wikinews administrator and contributor Craig Spurrier.
"We went forward after Wikimania because we felt that we had a good idea on our hands, and all the organization and manpower should not go to waste. We can still make a difference here in our own hemisphere, which as far as Wikimedia goes, has been overlooked in favor of the world picture. We want to show the work done by people here, and how it impacts people here," said Halterman in an exclusive interview with Wikinews.
The conference is focused on "discussions of Wikimedia and the free culture movement and how they relate to communities (national/regional, social, linguistic); discussions about the impacts free culture movements have in these communities, and by the work done in said movements in everyday life," says the announcement. The discussion includes North America, specifically the United States and Canada, along with the countries of Latin America. Wikimedia Argentina and the WMF have also been given a proposal, but decisions on endorsement are still pending for both.
There will also be a journalism segment that will be held inside the Turner Broadcasting building on Techwood Drive in Midtown Atlanta.
After the location of Wikimania 2008 was announced to be in Alexandria, Egypt, the LGBT community spoke out, wondering if the jury, a group of Wikimedians who selected the location, took into account LGBT rights, safety of all attending, human rights, or free speech in the country before making their decision. There has since been discussion and controversy over the location posted on several public mailing lists.
Despite that, Halterman, who was on the bidding team to have Wikimania 2008 in Atlanta, states that the Conference of the Americas was not formed in retaliation, revenge or to "out maneuver" Wikimania 2008 and that the discussion for the COTA was taking place long before the location of Wikimania was announced. He also states that the conference's purpose is not to compete with it, but to give those who are in the western hemisphere a chance to attend a Wikimedia event for the Americas.
"This was never something that was supposed to be 'the American solution.' We aren't trying to compete with Wikimania at all. We're not out to make a statement against Wikimania. This isn't done out of anger, it's done out of a drive to unite, not to divide. We have over 100 interested parties all over the United States who want to volunteer and/or attend in some fashion or another. Reaching out to the other communities is high on our list of priorities and we really do want to make this a hemispheric effort" as "it's more expensive for people to go to Egypt over something in their own country or something close enough to it," said Halterman to Wikinews.
The conference is sponsored by Georgia Tech, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Public Journalism Network (pjnet), Ibiblio.org and the Carolina Open Source Initiative.
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Liverpool Crown Court jailed an ex-policeman who led a double life as a senior figure in a Preston, England drugs gang. Salim Razaq, described by his Assistant Chief Constable Andy Cooke of Lancashire Constabulary as "nothing short of a criminal in a police uniform", received eleven-and-a-half years imprisonment on Tuesday after being caught during a 'turf war' with a rival gang.
The 33-year-old spoke to his brother over the phone while the latter was in jail on remand for kidnap and assault. Hafiz 'The Enforcer' 'Big Haf' Razaq was involved in hijacking Mohammed Begg's BMW and abducting him. Begg, linked to the Fishwick gang, was tortured and beaten for three hours by Hafiz and other Deepdale gang members. Salim and Hafiz discussed money laundering and plans to intimidate witnesses in Hafiz's trial. Other officers bugged the calls, their suspicions aroused when Salim improperly used the force computer system to check on family members and associates.
—Judge Henry Globe QCLancashire Police's Professional Standards Department then raided Salim's home in Walton-le-Dale, near Preston, and found £72,000 in laundered cash hidden in the police sergeant's bedroom. Three machine guns — two Uzis and a Sten — were concealed under the stairs. 228 bullets, a bullet-proof jacket, a balaclava, and a knuckle-duster were also confiscated.
Last month he entered guilty pleas to two counts of perverting the course of justice, three counts of possession of a firearm, possession of ammunition, conspiracy to transfer criminal property, conspiracy to acquire or retain criminal property and misconduct in a public office. The conspiracies referred to money laundering; the misconduct was for abusing the police database.
Salim joined the police in 2001 and served as a traffic cop patrolling motorways, before his promotion to sergeant in January last year. He was dismissed in June when the force convened a Special Case Hearing to fast-track the process.
Salim and Hafiz's mother Gulshan admitted perverting the course of justice; her role was to intimidate witnesses. Hafiz entered guilty pleas to money laundering and two counts of perverting the course of justice. Two more gang members — Jason Lawrenson and Daniel Cookson — admitted money laundering, and another man, Louis Bamber, admitted possession of a firearm.
Gulshan was given a 44-week sentence suspended for two years and Hafiz received three-and-a-half years, this in addition to a six-year sentence for the attack on Begg. It was this attack that initiated the war, with a Deepdale member being shot in the throat in retaliation.
In sentencing Salim Judge Henry Globe QC said "The offending took place over an extended period of time. It amounts to a breach of trust, a dereliction of duty and it amounts to extremely serious and persistent criminal offending whilst ostensibly, supposedly upholding criminal justice in your capacity as a serving police officer. Your actions have brought potential discredit to the police force. It would have made the tasks of other officers more difficult. In particular, I make reference to the gravity of your offending in relation to the firearms offences.
"It cannot be exaggerated that the guns you knowingly had in your possession were three sub machine guns with many rounds of live ammunition to be used with them. There was no conceivable, lawful or justifiable purpose that anyone could have had to have them in their possession."
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Commander Ali Dizaei of London's Metropolitan Police Service today became the most senior officer anywhere in the United Kingdom to be convicted of offences by a court. Dizaei, who was branded a "criminal in uniform" by Independent Police Complaints Commission chair Nick Hardwick, has been jailed for four years after he attempted to frame an Iraqi businessman.
It took a Southwark Crown Court jury under three hours to find Dizaei guilty of misconduct in a public office and attempting to pervert the course of justice. The charges carried a maximum of life imprisonment.
Dizaei, 47, who is head of the National Black Police Association, had gone to the Yas Persian restaurant, run by one of his friends, and taken his wife Shy with him. They then went to their car and struck up a conversation through its open window with the restaurant's manager. During this conversation they were approached by Waad al-Baghdadi, an Iraqi website designer in his twenties. He requested that Dizaei pay £600 that he owed Baghdadi, who had constructed his website.
According to the Crown, this dispute had been ongoing for months and Dizaei had been attempting to intimidate Baghdadi. He told the Iraqi to depart when he entered the restaurant; although the businessman did, he stayed nearby and rang the 999 emergency number.
The exact content of the argument that led up to this is unclear. Dizaei and his wife testified that Baghdadi was abusive and threatening, telling the officer he would "extract the money out of your throat" while the owner of the Yas said he was "a crook basically... His history ... everybody knows he's not a good gentleman," said owner Sohrab Eshragi. Eshragi said that the request Baghdadi leave the premises was due to concerns of trouble, claiming Baghdadi had been in a previous fight. Baghdadi denied the allegations and the court rejected Dizaei's version of events.
—Restaurant owner's description of the man arrested by DizaeiWhile Baghdadi was making his emergency call, Dizaei arrested him and made a 999 call of his own. He requested assistence from other officers, and said that Baghdadi had assaulted him by stabbing his stomach with a shisha pipe. He maintained this account when police arrived and kept it up in written statements, but although Baghdadi was found to be carrying such a pipe examination of Dizaei's wounds by a police doctor concluded he had inflicted them upon himself.
A Home Office pathologist questioned this finding for the defence. Dr. Nat Cary said it was based on a "fundamentally flawed approach," and that the injuries were consistent with Dizaei's version of events. He has helped investigate the assassination of former Pakistani PM Benazir Bhutto, and the death newspaper seller Ian Thomlinson, the latter of whom died during a G20 protest.
The Crown further alleged that Dizaei told Baghdadi "I'll fuck your life... You think I don't know what you do in London... I'll find every single detail of your life in London." The prosecution case was presented by Peter Wright QC, who has prosecuted in trials over serial murders of Suffolk sex workers and a plot to bomb transatlantic airliners. He said that Dizaei's actions were a "wholesale abuse of power by a senior police officer for entirely personal and oblique motives."
Judge Justice Simon said that Dizaei had committed a "grave breach of public trust" and told him "This sentence needs to send a clear message that police officers of whatever rank are not above the law." A Crown Prosecution Service spokesman said outside the court that "He abused his power and ignored his responsibility," and that while corruption was unacceptable in any police officer it was particularly so in a senior member of the forces. "The public should have confidence that we will prosecute anyone, regardless of their position, if they commit serious offences. We believe justice has been served for the victim and the public."
—Nick Hardwick of the Independant Police Complaints Commission"[I]f he [Dizaei] had been successful, Mr al-Baghdadi may have been sent to prison," noted Hardwick. "Mr al-Baghdadi has shown tremendous strength of character throughout this case ‑ from the moment he was confronted by Ali Dizaei, throughout our investigation, and finally when giving evidence at court. We are grateful for the confidence he placed in the IPCC and, as a result of that, justice has been done today."
Dizaei has been a policeman for 24 years, and at one stage was rumoured to be destined to take control of the Metropolitan Police, although the Metropolitan Police Authority may now choose to end this career. His trial, which began this month, is his second this decade. He was prosecuted in 2003 but cleared of any wrongdoing. The incident with Baghdadi was in June 2008 and Dizaei has been suspended on full pay since September of that year. Hardwick said that "The greatest threat to the reputation of the police service is criminals in uniform like Dizaei."
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Australian transport investigators have announced they have identified a "critical safety issue" with engines fitted to the world's largest passenger airliner. Some Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines, which power some Airbus A380 "superjumbos", may be prone to "fatigue cracking", which could lead to oil leakage and a fire.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) said they think this was "central to the engine failure" which occurred on a Qantas A380 on November 4, shortly after take-off from Singapore. The airline grounded all six of its fleet of A380s so they could undergo safety checks before they were put back into service. Late last month, Qantas announced the aircraft were safe and began returning them to service.
—Australian Transport Safety BureauThe ATSB said the manufacturing fault with the Trent 900 engines "could lead to an elevated risk of fatigue crack initiation and growth, oil leakage and potential catastrophic engine failure from a resulting oil fire." The agency urged Rolls-Royce to "address the safety issue and take actions necessary to ensure the safety of flight operations in transport aircraft equipped with Rolls-Royce Trent 900 series engines."
Qantas emphasised on Thursday that there was "no immediate risk to flight safety," but said they would conduct further investigations. A statement from the airline said: "Qantas currently has two A380 aircraft in operational service, following the grounding of the fleet on 4 November. Both A380 aircraft will be inspected at the Qantas Jet Base in Sydney. Inspections will commence this afternoon." Two other airlines use A380 aircraft with Trent engines, Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines; Singapore Airlines said they were checking the engines of their A380s "on a daily basis". They said: "The new checks advised by the ATSB will be carried out as quickly as possible."
The incident in Singapore was embarrassing for Airbus. Aviation journalist Tom Ballantyne said the incident in Singapore was "certainly the most serious incident that the A380 has experienced since it entered operations." The A380 made its first commercial flight in 2007, and is now in service with several other airlines, including Air France and Emirates. It is the largest commercial passenger airliner in the world, with an 840-passenger maximum capacity, though Qantas' can carry 450.
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Antelope Valley, California — A huge wildfire that has been burning in the High Desert of Southern California since 2:00 pm (2200 UTC) yesterday continues to threaten residents in the city of Palmdale in the Antelope Valley region of the Los Angeles County this afternoon. Mandatory evacuation orders have been set in place, affecting 2,000 homes.
The fire is one of three that ignited yesterday in the Mojave Desert and San Gabriel Mountains. The first was a 30-acre fire that began to the west of Lancaster in the Fairmont area. It was contained and suppressed by mid-afternoon, but the other two fires ignited while firefighters were battling the first. The second fire, the "Briggs Fire", began shortly after 2:00 pm near 8334 Soledad Canyon Road and Briggs Road, south of the freeway. It burned 500 acres south of the 14 Freeway, but the Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACFD) now has it contained, and firefighters are hopeful that it will burn itself out as it edges closer to the 160,577-acre burn area of last year's Station Fire. The third fire, the "Crown Fire", broke out at around the same time as the Briggs Fire on the northern side of the 14 Freeway near Acton. The Crown fire has so far burned 13,000 acres and has been heading north into Leona Valley and Palmdale.
Over 800 firefighters are now tackling the Crown Fire on the ground, Boeing 747 and McDonnell Douglas DC-10 fixed-wing aircraft have taken to the skies to drop Phos-Chek slurry (a red powdery fire retardant that is a mixture of mostly water and fertilizer, and doesn't evaporate) on the fire, and modified Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters known as "Firehawks" are making water-drops. As well as LACFD, firefighters from Los Angeles City Fire Department, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) are also helping to battle the fire. Weather conditions and topography have hindered their efforts, as temperatures rose to 98 degrees Fahrenheit today, with windspeeds of 25mph. Tonight, the National Weather Service predicts winds will reach as high as 50mph.
The fire burned down a Los Angeles County Sheriff Department communications tower, forcing Lancaster and Palmdale-based deputies to set up mobile operations bases and coordinate their efforts using cell phones and computers. Last night, the California Aqueduct acted as a barrier to the fire.
Residents of Leona Valley, Lake Elizabeth, Ritter Ranch, Rancho Vista, Ana Verde and Palmdale received Reverse 911 telephone calls last night alerting them of mandatory evacuations. Many of the evacuation orders were lifted this morning as the spread of the fire decreased. However, as winds picked up in the afternoon, fire embers were carried across the aqueduct and the fire is now heading towards a highly-populated area of Palmdale. Residents who were allowed back into their homes were re-evacuated to Red Cross shelters set up in local schools and parks.The fire is also threatening five high-voltage power lines that supply electricity to much of Southern California. 21 customers in the immediate vicinity have been without power since yesterday.
At 5:00 pm, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, police and fire officials held a press conference. The governor said that the fire was 20% contained and had burned 13,000 acres. It is thought that the fire began when workers in Agua Dulce caused sparks by hammering the bolts when they were removing a tire from a rim.
The Crown Fire cresting over the San Gabriel Mountains on Thursday night. Image: creosoteshadow (Flickr).Image: creosoteshadow (Flickr).
The Los Angeles County Sheriff Department set up a mobile command center at the AV Mall after radio communications were disabled when the fire burned down a relay tower Image: Matthew Edwards.
The Crown fire decends down the San Gabriel Mountains into western Palmdale Friday afternoon Image: Thomas Hays (Flickr).
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| 'Crown Fire' forces residents in Southern California to evacuate homes | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Crown_Fire%27_forces_residents_in_Southern_California_to_evacuate_homes |
Moviegoers around the world are expected to queue into movie theaters during the opening weekend of the movie "The Da Vinci Code," despite the disapproval of both critics and clerics.
The film, directed by Ron Howard, is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Dan Brown, which has sold over 60 million copies worldwide. Officials at Sony-owned Columbia Pictures, which distributed the film, expect the film to gross US$50 million to US$80 million during its first weekend in the United States, based on figures from early matinees on Friday. "The early matinees are very strong and extremely encouraging," said Steve Elzer, a spokesman for Columbia.
Outside the United States, the film is also proving controversial, as long lines formed outside theatres in China, while the movie's release has been postponed indefinitely in India and banned outright in the Philippine capital of Manila.
"The Da Vinci Code" stars Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou, who respectively play a Harvard professor on religious symbols and a French cryptologist who become involved in a murder mystery revolving around the works of Leonardo da Vinci, a secret that could rock the foundations of the Roman Catholic Church if revealed, and a society formed to protect that secret.
The film was previewed at the Cannes film festival to mixed reviews, and critics have generally given the film a cool reception.
Certain thematic elements in the film and novel have caused a religious backlash, as Catholic officials call the movie blasphemous. "'The Da Vinci Code' gratuitously insults Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church," said Vincent Nichols, the Roman Catholic archbishop of Birmingham, England. "It deliberately presents fiction as fact."
The Catholic Church in China called on its followers to boycott the film, while a Catholic lay group in the United States plan is planning rallies outside 1,000 theatres nationwide. Francis Slobodnik, who is coordinating the campaign for the Pennsylvania-based group, called the film "an insult directed towards God."
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Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel gave yesterday's opening address to the 42nd meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF), which is facing a distinctly different geo-political landscape from twelve months ago. Outside the WEF security cordon, in the sub-zero temperatures of Davos' train station car park, the local incarnation of the Occupy movement are setting up 'Camp Igloo'; but, with little hope of the archetypes of the 1%, 'Davos Man', arriving by public transport and seeing their sub-zero protest.
David Roth, heading the Swiss centre-left's youth wing — and an organiser of 'Camp Igloo', echoes much of the sentiment from 'Occupy' protests around the world; "[a]t meetings the rest of society is excluded from, this powerful '1 percent' negotiates and decides about the fate of the other 99 percent of this world, [...] economic and financial concentration of power in a small, privileged minority leads to a dictatorship over the rest of us. The motto 'one person, one vote' is no longer valid, but 'one dollar, one vote'."
Roth's characterisation of 'Davos Man', a term coined by the Professor Samuel Huntington of Harvard University, is more emotive than that of the late professor who saw 'Davos man' as "[having...] little need for national loyalty, view[ing] national boundaries as obstacles that thankfully are vanishing, and see[ing] national governments as residues from the past whose only useful function is to facilitate the elite's global operations".
As Reuters highlights, many attendees will opt to make their way from Zurich to Davos by private jet, or helicopter, and the WEF itself provides handouts indicating the cost of such is 5,100 Swiss francs (approx. 5,500 USD, 3,500 GBP, 4,200 EUR). In contrast: travelling by rail, even when opting for first class — without an advance booking, is 145 Swiss francs (approx. 155 USD, 100 GBP).
Shifting fortunes see several past attendees missing this year's exclusive get-together in the alpine resort; for a second year running — and now caught up in the UK phone hacking scandal being scrutinised by Lord Leveson's inquiry — media mogul Rupert Murdoch will not be attending. Nor will the former head of financial services company UBS Oswald Gruebel, who resigned in the wake of US$2.3 billion losses incurred through unauthorised trading; likewise, Philipp Hildebrand, the ex-head of the Swiss National Bank, is absent following scandal associated with his wife's currency trading activities; and, although the sexual assault charges against Dominique Strauss-Kahn were dropped, having stepped down as managing director of the International Monetary Fund Strauss-Kahn will also be absent.
As the #OccupyWEF protesters were building igloos last weekend, an anti-WEF protest in the Swiss capital Berne was broken up by police, who stated their intent to prosecute participants in the illegal protest. Allegations of calls for violent protest action led to a high number of officers being involved. In the aftermath, charges of breach of the peace are to be brought against 153 people, with some targeted for more serious offences. At least one group involved in the protest described the police response as "disproportionate".
At 'Camp Igloo' Roth says he is seeking discussions with the WEF's expected 2,000 attendees; but his voice, and that of others in the worldwide 'Occupy' movement, is unlikely to be given a platform in the opening debate, "Is 20th-century capitalism failing 21st-century society?" He, and others taking part in this Swiss incarnation of the 'Occupy' movement, are still considering an invite to a side-session issued by the World Economic Forum's founder, Klaus Schwab; commenting on the invite Roth told the Associated Press they would prefer a debate at a more neutral venue.
As has been the case for several years now, the annual Forum meeting in Davos was preceded with the release of a special report by the World Economic Forum into risks seen as likely to have an impact the in the coming decade. The 2012 Global Risks Report is a hefty document; the 64-page report is backed with a variety of visualisation tools designed to allow the interrelations between risks to be viewed, how risks interact modelled, and their potential impacts considered — as assessed by the WEF's panel of nearly 500 experts.
As one would expect, economic risks top both the 2012 impact and likelihood charts. Climate change is pushed somewhat further down the list of concerns likely to drive discussions in Davos. "Major systemic financial failure" — the collapse of a globally important financial institution, or world currency, is selected as the risk which carries the most potential impact.
However, "Chronic fiscal imbalances" — failing to address excessive government debt, and "Severe income disparity" — a widening of the the gulf between rich and poor, top the list of most likely risks.
At the other end of the tables, disagreeing respectively with the weight last year's Wikinews report gave to orbital debris, and the Motion Picture Association of America's (MPAA) fight with the Internet over copyright legislation, the 2012 Global Risks Report places "Proliferation of Orbital Debris" and "Failure of intellectual property regime" bottom of the league in terms of potential impact.
In 2011, with the current global economic crisis well under-way, "Fiscal crises" topped the WEF risks with the largest potential impact in the next ten years. However, perceived as most likely a year ago, "Storms and cyclones", "Flooding", and "Biodiversity loss" — all climate-change related points — were placed ahead of "Economic disparity" and "Fiscal crises".
More mundane risks overtake the spectre of terrorism when contrasting this year's report with the 2011 one; volatility in the prices of commodities, consumer goods, and energy, and the security of water supplies are all now ranked as more likely risks than terrorism — though the 2011 report did rank some of these concerns as having a higher potential impact. A significant shift in perception sees the 2012 report highlight food shortages almost as likely a risk the world will face over the next decade; and, one with a far more significant impact.
Attending the World Economic Forum at Davos is more than just an opportunity to discuss the current state of the global economy, and review the risks which face countries around the world. With such a high number of political and business leaders in attendance, it is an ideal opportunity to pursue new trade deals.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper is, in addition to being a keynote speaker, expected to pursue improved relations with European and Asian trade partners at private meetings on the Forum sidelines. The Toronto Star reports Harper is likely to push forward an under-negotiation Canadian-European free-trade agreement, and hold closed-door discussions prior to next month's planned trip to China.
Similarly, Canadian trade minister Ed Fast is expected to meet South Korean counterparts to discuss an equivalent deal to the preferential ones between the Asian nation and the US and Europe. Fast's deal does, however, face opposition at home; the Canadian Auto Workers union asserts that such a deal would put 33,0000 jobs at-risk.
British Prime Minister David Cameron and chancellor George Osborne are expected to discuss a possible increase of UK funding to the International Monetary Fund (IMF); however, with the UK responsible for 4.5% of the US$400 billion in the IMF's lending fund, backbench MPs have warned that committing any additional funds could provoke a Conservative revolt in parliament. Tuesday's IMF cut of predicted global growth from 4% to 3.3%, warnings of a likely Eurozone recession in 2012, and ongoing problems with Greek financial restructuring, are likely discussion topics at Davos — as well as amongst UK backbench MPs who see adding to the IMF war-chest as bailing out failed European economies.
South Africa, less centre-stage during the 2011 Forum, will be looking to improve relationships and take advantage of their higher profile. President Jacob Zuma and several cabinet members are attending sessions and discussions; whilst former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown is to moderate a session, "Africa — From Transition to Transformation", with Nigeria, Guinea, and South Sudan's presidents on the panel. Wal-mart's CEO Doug McMillon is to lead a dinner session, "Shared Opportunities for Africa's Future" — highlighting larger multinationals looking towards the continent for new opportunities.
Davos may also serve as a place to progress disputes out of the public eye; a high-profile dispute between Chile's state-owned copper mining business, Codelco, and Anglo American plc over the 5.39 billion USD sale of a near-quarter stake in their Chilean operations to Japan's Mitsubishi, prompted the Financial Times to speculate that, as the respective company chiefs — Diego Hernández and Cynthia Carroll — are expected to attend, they could privately discuss the spat during the Forum.
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Daybreak, a new breakfast show on ITV in the United Kingdom, launched on Monday at 0600 BST (0500 UTC). The show was hosted by Christine Bleakley and Adrian Chiles, both of whom previously presented The One Show on BBC One.
Opening the broadcast, Bleakley commented: "Dawn is happening, day is breaking behind us here, it's a beautiful thing here behind us in the studio." Chiles then commented: "The sun is up and thank goodness. We spent good money bringing you this view [...] at least you can see it. Thank goodness for that." On the website for The Guardian, Stuart Heritage stated that "[a]lthough it does seem like a continuation of GMTV rather than a bold reinvention, some of the new aspects of Daybreak have worked. Adrian and Christine have done reasonably well and the other new faces all seem like good additions." The set for the programme features two purple sofas with a large round desk in between the sofas and a skyline of London in a backdrop.
The new programme was followed at 0830 BST (0730 UTC) by another new programme, entitled Lorraine — hosted by Lorraine Kelly — which was broadcast until 0925 BST (0825 UTC). Kelly stressed: "I've really missed you. I hope you like our new look and we've got a packed show for you today." The Lorraine set contains a pink sofa, a pink armchair and a large round white desk. The two new programmes are the successors to GMTV — which had its last broadcast on Friday.
Previously, Alison Sharman, ITV Director of Factual and Daytime, explained: "Daybreak plays a key part in ITV’s ongoing transformation and reflects the fact that creative renewal lies at the heart of our schedule, which is being modernised and improved under Peter Fincham. We want to ensure that the core audience of housewives with children keep watching but are also determined to attract new viewers to our revitalised breakfast show. As we approach the next stage of this transformational journey our newly confirmed anchors — Christine and Adrian — will be the lynchpins of Daybreak with their unique and brilliant partnership."
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Yesterday, Partido Popular candidate for the European Parliament Miguel Arias Cañete said of his performance during the previous night's debate against Spanish Socialist Workers' Party's Elena Valenciano on Spanish television's Antena 3 program Espejo Público, "Debating with a woman is complicated. If you demonstrate intellectual superiority or you corner her, it's sexist."
Cañete went on to say, "If I was debating with Señor Rubalcaba, we can say all kinds of barbaric things, but with a woman it's interpreted differently." Later on the same program, he said, "With all the provocations from Señora Valenciano, all the demagoguery and populist statements, with all the half truths and lies, if I had been myself I would fear me. I would have gone for the kill" . He then went on to admit he is sometimes not politically correct.
Valenciano took to Twitter while the show aired to say, "So? What shall we do?? Remove women from debate??"
The quote was read live to Cañete, who responded by saying, "For me, it is more difficult, it is harder." Spanish Socialist Workers' Party boss Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba responded on Twitter, saying, "Cañete, the machismo of the sore loser."
Both politicians spent most of the debate focusing on the failings of the other's political party. Neither politician talked much about corruption, Catalonia or Europe. The topic of abortion was brought up and discussed by Valenciano, but before Cañete had the chance to respond to her remarks, the debate televiser RTVE cut to commercial. Partido Popular had supported changes in abortion law that were viewed as controversial, and led to protests by several thousand people claiming the changes encroached on the rights of women. In the debate, Valenciano said Partido Popular had suspended their efforts to change the law in order to win this election.
The European Parliament elections are scheduled to be held on May 25.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Debating with a woman is complicated' says Spanish Partido Popular EU candidate | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Debating_with_a_woman_is_complicated%27_says_Spanish_Partido_Popular_EU_candidate |
Yesterday, Partido Popular candidate for the European Parliament Miguel Arias Cañete said of his performance during the previous night's debate against Spanish Socialist Workers' Party's Elena Valenciano on Spanish television's Antena 3 program Espejo Público, "Debating with a woman is complicated. If you demonstrate intellectual superiority or you corner her, it's sexist."
Cañete went on to say, "If I was debating with Señor Rubalcaba, we can say all kinds of barbaric things, but with a woman it's interpreted differently." Later on the same program, he said, "With all the provocations from Señora Valenciano, all the demagoguery and populist statements, with all the half truths and lies, if I had been myself I would fear me. I would have gone for the kill" . He then went on to admit he is sometimes not politically correct.
Valenciano took to Twitter while the show aired to say, "So? What shall we do?? Remove women from debate??"
The quote was read live to Cañete, who responded by saying, "For me, it is more difficult, it is harder." Spanish Socialist Workers' Party boss Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba responded on Twitter, saying, "Cañete, the machismo of the sore loser."
Both politicians spent most of the debate focusing on the failings of the other's political party. Neither politician talked much about corruption, Catalonia or Europe. The topic of abortion was brought up and discussed by Valenciano, but before Cañete had the chance to respond to her remarks, the debate televiser RTVE cut to commercial. Partido Popular had supported changes in abortion law that were viewed as controversial, and led to protests by several thousand people claiming the changes encroached on the rights of women. In the debate, Valenciano said Partido Popular had suspended their efforts to change the law in order to win this election.
The European Parliament elections are scheduled to be held on May 25.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Debating with a woman is complicated' says Spanish Partido Popular EU candidate | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Debating_with_a_woman_is_complicated,%27_says_Spanish_Partido_Popular_EU_candidate |
Security in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, was tightened after the attacks on London Thursday when 49 people were killed. Denmark supported the U.S.-led war on Iraq and fears of an attack are rising. "It's not a question of if we'll be attacked, but when" said security specialist Mikkel Vedby at the University in Copenhagen.
"This is how the world has become in the 21st century. There are people out there that want to harm us. They are at war with us and it seems we're in war with them. We might be safe tomorrow or the next ten years." said Mikkel Vedby. He later added that Denmark needed to get ready to face a major terrorist attack.
The group that has claimed responsibility for the attacks on London, the "Secret Organisation Group of Al-Qaeda of Jihad Organisation", issued a statement yesterday where attacks on countries that supported the "crusades" against Iraq and Afghanistan are threatened. Denmark is on that list. The statement has not been verified.
Anja Dalgaard-Nielsen, a security expert from the Danish Institute for International Studies, disagrees and says Denmark is not in danger of being a terrorist target because radical Islamic groups there are too small to be able to organise an attack. "It is true we are in a similar position as the UK. The Danish government does work closely with the United States and the United Kingdom governments because of Iraq and Afghanistan."
As in other countries, security in Denmark has been stepped up at airports, rail stations, ports, borders, and other public places.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Denmark will be attacked' says one expert, 'Denmark safe' says another | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Denmark_will_be_attacked%27_says_expert |
Security in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, was tightened after the attacks on London Thursday when 49 people were killed. Denmark supported the U.S.-led war on Iraq and fears of an attack are rising. "It's not a question of if we'll be attacked, but when" said security specialist Mikkel Vedby at the University in Copenhagen.
"This is how the world has become in the 21st century. There are people out there that want to harm us. They are at war with us and it seems we're in war with them. We might be safe tomorrow or the next ten years." said Mikkel Vedby. He later added that Denmark needed to get ready to face a major terrorist attack.
The group that has claimed responsibility for the attacks on London, the "Secret Organisation Group of Al-Qaeda of Jihad Organisation", issued a statement yesterday where attacks on countries that supported the "crusades" against Iraq and Afghanistan are threatened. Denmark is on that list. The statement has not been verified.
Anja Dalgaard-Nielsen, a security expert from the Danish Institute for International Studies, disagrees and says Denmark is not in danger of being a terrorist target because radical Islamic groups there are too small to be able to organise an attack. "It is true we are in a similar position as the UK. The Danish government does work closely with the United States and the United Kingdom governments because of Iraq and Afghanistan."
As in other countries, security in Denmark has been stepped up at airports, rail stations, ports, borders, and other public places.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Denmark will be attacked' says one expert, 'Denmark safe' says another | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Denmark_will_be_attacked%27_says_one_expert,_%27Denmark_safe%27_says_another |
An election news report in the U.S. features an error hearkening back to the infamous 1948 "Dewey Defeats Truman" incident – reporting the wrong candidate won the California state election primary.
—Barry JantzCandidate Joel Anderson, a member of the California State Assembly, won the Republican Party primary for the California State Senate 36th District being vacated by termed-out politician Senate Minority Leader Dennis Hollingsworth, on Tuesday. With 100 percent of the election precincts reporting, Anderson won over 45 percent of the total votes cast in the Republican primary.
However, The Valley News, a news publication based in Riverside, California, mistakenly reported that Anderson's opponent, Jeff Stone, had won the Republican primary. The Valley News later deleted its own article and reposted a new one with the correct information about the election results, without posting a correction.
California political journalist Barry Jantz reported that the mistake was due to the publisher of The Valley News only having examined the election results for Riverside, and not the entire election district. The Republican primary won by Anderson encompasses an election district, which includes both Riverside County, and San Diego County.
Jantz noted, "A new story has now been posted, without a trace of the incorrect report or a correction." He referred to the erroneous article subsequently deleted by the Valley Press as, "the story that was...and wasn't...and now never existed". The San Diego County publication, East County Magazine, commented on the incident, and characterized it as "an error reminiscent of the infamous 'Dewey Defeats Truman' headline."
"Dewey Defeats Truman" was an erroneous front-page headline by the newspaper Chicago Tribune published November 3, 1948, a day before U.S. President Harry Truman won the 1948 presidential election against New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey.
Anderson will be the Republican Party candidate in the November general election for California State Senate. His opponent will be Paul Clay, a Democrat and teacher based in Riverside County. The district primarily consists of registered Republicans.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Dewey Defeats Truman' incident in California State Senate election | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Dewey_Defeats_Truman%27_incident_in_California_State_Senate_election |
Quentin Tarantino's 2012 film Django Unchained returned yesterday to cinemas in China, after being withdrawn by Chinese film importer China Film Group Corporation a month earlier, for which Xinhua cited "technical reasons".
The film faced a suspension order by the importer on April 11. China has a strict policy on censoring films, for sex, violence, and political content. Besides nudity and violence, the film has themes of slavery and rebellion.
The 165 minute long film was reportedly cut to 162 minutes, removing scenes containing nudity.
The film's debut was reportedly estimated in April to produce ticket sales of 60 million yuan (US$9.8 million); however an official at Shanghai United Cinema Lines reported sales of roughly 100,000 yuan (US$15,800) over the weekend.
Low sales have been ascribed to various factors such as lack of publicity, few and poorly timed showings, and illegal internet downloads of the film during the near month-long hiatus.
Django Unchained was released December 25, 2012 in the United States, and stars Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Christoph Waltz.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Django Unchained' returns to Chinese cinemas | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Django_Unchained%27_returns_to_Chinese_cinemas |
Witnesses have reported that at least 80 people have died in a bombing in Afghanistan. The bombing took place in the Kandahar city area of the country, with early reports saying that took place in the Western areas of the city, which is in the South of Afghanistan. The Indonesia based news agency, Antara News has reported that the bombing took place during a dog fighting match.
A spokesman for the Interior Ministry of Afghanistan has confirmed the reports by saying that "there was an explosion in Kandahar this morning," and that "there are a number of people killed and injured." He added that "killed dozens and wounded dozens more," and that he "can't give an exact number [of injuries and deaths], but the number is very high." He also said that "all the police are there [at the scene of the bombing] and they are evacuating the injured and the dead."
A senior police official has been quoted as saying that "We have 56 people martyred and about 40 others wounded." Reports from witnesses have also stated that a famous former commander was killed in the blast.
The Interior Ministry of Afghanistan has said that they are not sure whether the blast was a suicide bomb, although they have made clear that they are sure it is a bombing.
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American professional wrestler "Dr Death" Steve Williams has died aged 49. The retired wrestler died of cancer. Williams was suffering from throat cancer and underwent surgery in 2004.
Williams, who originally trained up as an MMA fighter started his career in 1979. He performed in several different promotions including MidSouth Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment. He held the World Tag Team Championship with Terry Gordy in WCW.
For a short period he wrestled in Ohio Valley Wrestling, WWE's development facility. During his time there he worked with current WWE Raw superstar Jack Swagger.
Williams officially retired this year. He choose to retire after the death of fellow wrestler and friend Mitsuharu Misawa. He wrestled his last match in Japan on October 25, 2009.
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Earlier this month, Wikinews spoke with University of Sussex professor of economics L. Alan Winters regarding the decision of the United Kingdom to leave the European Union (EU) in the 2016 Brexit referendum and the subsequent negotiations leading up to and following the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement of December, which he has researched extensively. In a call, a Wikinews correspondent spoke with Professor Winters about recent developments in UK trade policy to learn more about his observations.
Winters is professor of economics at the University of Sussex, as well as founding director and fellow of the UK Trade Policy Observatory (UKTPO). His career spans over 15 years, including as chief economist at the Department for International Development, director of the Development Research Group of the World Bank, CEO of the Migrating Out of Poverty Research Programme Consortium and advisor for the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the Commonwealth Secretariat, the European Commission, the European Parliament, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the World Trade Organization and the Inter-American Development Bank.
Three reports where Winters is listed as an author were used as reference during the interview: "COVID-19 will reinforce the Brexit shock", "The Costs of Brexit" and "Taking stock of the new UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement: governance, state subsidies and the level playing field".
Winters was awarded the title "Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath", styled C.B., on June 16, 2012 as part of the 2012 Birthday Honours.
You're a member of the UK Trade Policy Observatory and wrote in December 2020's "The Cost of Brexit" the British exit from the European Union "increases UK-EU costs, reduces trade between them, and requires resources for form-filling, queuing" and that "Brexit will be costly for UK society" free trade agreement or not. Do you think the government made a mistake when negotiating the Christmas agreement with the EU, or that Brexit was the mistake?
((L. Alan Winters)) Well I was certainly opposed to Brexit, and I continue to believe that it was a very poor piece of economic policy. You have to concede that there's been a little bit of sovereignty that has been won back, but actually it's very difficult to exercise, and the government hasn't got too much idea, about how it wants to exercise its sovereignty. So overall, I'm not very sympathetic over the Brexit decision but, you know, it's made, it's done.
Do I think there was a mistake with having agreed we're going to do Brexit? Did we get the right sort of Brexit? Well no, again, I think we would have been much better off economically with a tighter relationship with Europe that kept some of the trade costs lower, and therefore there would be less hits on the amount of trade that's going on.
((WN)) Now, you've indicated in a May 2020 article that you also wrote on the Trade Policy Observatory web site that issues such as an interrupted UK-EU negotiations and an increase in government debt as a result of the pandemic would "reinforce the Brexit shock". Does this hold true a year on?
((L. Alan Winters)) I mean, we've negotiated our way to a trade agreement, which in May last year wasn't certain, by any means, so that's an issue that hasn't arisen, except that the hurry is one of the reasons it's not a very good trade agreement for us, I think. The reinforcement of government debt: I think we don't know yet. It's very difficult to sort out what's a Brexit shock and what's a COVID shock, but what certainly is the case is that the UK public finances will take a hit from Brexit, particularly given that it, I think without any doubt, activity in the financial services sector will go down, and they pay a very large amount of tax.
And so add to that that we've now sort of taken on potentially an extra three or four hundred billions worth of debt; and [it] is going to constrain economic policy. So in that sense, the two issues reinforce each other.
((WN)) I believe you said [in the article] somewhat along the lines of that 'you may think that Brexit and COVID are separate, but in actuality they're very interchanged, or at least the effects of it are very interchanged.' But from what you've said right now, how can you define between a Brexit shock and a COVID shock?
((L. Alan Winters)) Yeah, well, economists are working hard on this and, you know, we don't have enough data. But, for instance, Brexit affects primarily UK trade with the European Union; it affects trade with other countries only through sort of second-order effects. So if we see trade with the EU behaving differently from trade with the rest of the world, that suggests we are starting to identify a Brexit shock.
It's also the case that we have an idea of sectors that are going to be particularly affected by Brexit that wouldn't necessarily have been particularly affected by COVID. For instance, some of the processed food trade, fishing, areas where regulations are important like some services where, for instance, the music industry. You know, we think that COVID has had a temporary—well, clearly the COVID has had a temporary effect on travelling music concerts gigs, but Brexit looks set to have a permanent effect because it's changing the way in which these things can be organised.
So, we can't observe it at the moment, but two years from now, three years from now, we hope COVID will [be] behind us, and then sort of the difference between before and after 2019 [in] music, trade ought to be showing up as Brexit effects. So we try to do it, or we plan to do it by finding dimensions where one or the other is very much bigger and you use that to identify the two.
I mean I think they are interactive. I was trying to think what was this blog about, I think I remember now. It was making the point the export markets don't just sort of come and go and it's easy to move in and out. Once you've lost an export market, it tends to be rather long term. And so, losing export markets because of COVID which, at least in May [2020], we wondered whether it was going to be worse in the UK than the EU; it hasn't turned out that way. But losing export markets in COVID, then trying to recover them when trading conditions have got[ten] worse, in a sense makes that recovery a lot less likely.
So I think it's in the sense there's also this fact that they interact with the dynamics: that you lose an export market, that's costly, it's hard to win back, costly to win back. We have got two potential hits on our export trade, and therefore, you know, each makes the other more difficult to recover from.
((WN)) You have some that would say that trade with the EU would decline, but that the UK can make up for it with increased trade with the Commonwealth or with the US, or, you know, this is an idea that some Brexiteers are in favour of: CANZUK, with Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Do you think that is plausible?
((L. Alan Winters)) No, it's complete nonsense. Make that slightly more polite, but no look, it's just not plausible. The EU is half our trade, approximately half our trade, it's very close, it's very rich, it's very similar, we've spent forty years integrating our way into that market and prior to Brexit, we had very, very close alignment with standards in goods and fairly close alignment in standards with services. These other markets are a lot further away, we know there is economic research now that suggests that the benefitd of signing trade agreements are weaker, the further away is the partner.
So, even if we could sign the same sort of agreement with Australia and New Zealand as we had with the EU, it is likely to have a weaker effect. And the point is, these other free trade agreements are nothing like as deep. They still require a lot of customs formalities, there will be standards issues that arise, there will be regulations like recognition of qualifications, and you can sort of agree you'll recognise Australian dentists, but all the rest of the professions, you know, still don't get that sort of recognition.
So frankly, it's just a myth. I think I would by all means use that: it's just not gonna happen.
((WN)) A big sticking point in the Brexit negotiations, and I would say they're still pretty debated today, is fishing, and the UK being able to determine its own fishing quotas, fish stocks, control of the fish in its own borders. Even though it's lower than Brexiteers may have wanted, the December agreement still means the UK will get 25% of EU fishing rights in its waters between now and 2026 but would still be, in some ways, bound to the EU's rules. What are your thoughts?
((L. Alan Winters)) The EU rules get into the story in two different ways. You're exactly right that there has been a small amount of quota transfer. It's quite a complicated process, and I'm not an expert—we did produce a blog or a briefing paper perhaps in the UKTPO on fishing, I don't know, six months ago — no, maybe less than that — where a fishing expert helped us go through the numbers. You know, some of the catch quotas weren't binding, some of them spill over—there's a lot of swapping of quotas. So, once you look at it, it wasn't that 25% of the EU quota will be caught by UK fishermen.
But the way that the EU rules get into this is in two ways: one is we have agreed that we will manage fisheries with a degree of co-operation and scientific co-operation with the Europeans so that we do agree, between us, what the maximum sustainable take is, so that that's a scientific decision in principle. And so in a sense, the EU view of what is sustainable, it does feed into this.
The second issue is that, perversely, it might seem, most of the fish that the UK fishing industry catches is sold in Europe, and it can only be sold subject to EU regulations, EU standards. And because we haven't got any agreement on those, we are discovering that these things are very costly to prove that you've got, you know, you have to have a vet sign off on every consignment and that sort of thing. And so, it's not that, in a sense, Britain is obliged to stick to the EU regulations for its own fish consumed in the UK. The problem is that we now have to prove as a third country, an external member, a non-member of the EU, that our fish meet their standards.
There's been one change I gather that's been fairly unsympathetic of: shellfish, but, you know, the EU has sovereignty as well. So, it's in those ways that EU rules get into it and, you know, we have a bit extra quota, but essentially the way the trade agreement works is if we get difficult over the quota, we'll end up not selling any fish. It's a long bit of the treaty, you know, about who can hit whom, and how it all has to go on, so it was immensely sensitive. They've spent so much effort on this, for a sector that is tiny, tiny, it's the tiniest bit of the economy, but there we are, that's where we're at.
((WN)) I want to ask you now about the Trade Act which was given royal assent on 29th of April and puts updated trade deals worth £218 billion on the statute books. Trade Secretary Liz Truss called the "newfound sovereignty" in a press release enough to "propel a jobs-led, exports-led and investment-led recovery from COVID-19 and bring prosperity to all parts of our United Kingdom." Now of course, some of the trade agreements were entirely new, a lot of them were also simply rehashed versions of already-agreed upon ones when the UK was under the EU. So what are your thoughts on that?
((L. Alan Winters)) There's a very unfortunate way of expressing it. First, the 218 billion is the amount of trade that is affected. It's not the value of the income that is generated, it's the amount of trade. Secondly, that 218 billion is all from agreements that were rolled over from the EU. These agreements were rolled over to the maximum extent possible—they're not quite as good as we had in the EU, but they're nearly—and the UK government was very clear it wouldn't give any more, it wouldn't ask any more, it just wanted to roll them over. So all that's happened is that trade agreements that were originally created and, sort of, justified through the EU legal system, you know, are now justified through the UK legal system.
One agreement with Japan was billed as being a new agreement but in fact, de facto, it was basically a rollover. And we're now looking at Australia as the first genuinely new agreement. The Australia deal is predicted to increase UK GDP [gross domestic product] by between one and two ten-thousandths of UK gross domestic product. Its, you know, its worth in terms of new income is very, very small.
So, this is a real bit of, that's an unfortunate bit of statistics, I mean, it just is not a fair representation of what was going on.
((WN)) Post-Brexit checks on goods heading to and from Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK angered many Unionists and Loyalists who claim the Northern Ireland Protocol is a border down the Irish Sea. However, Ursula von der Leyen said the 25th of May the complications were caused not by the Protocol, but by Brexit. What do you think?
((L. Alan Winters)) Well, it's a bit of both, in a sense. You know, if we hadn't had Brexit, we wouldn't have had the Protocol, so in that sense von der Leyen is exactly right: this is all the result of Brexit. But, there were different ways of doing Brexit, and the position that Theresa May had eventually, I suppose, worked out as being the best way, was to say that the whole of the United Kingdom would align pretty closely with the EU on many, many dimensions, and that that would have made continuing sort of free, I mean entirely free, bureaucratic-free trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, or between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland perfectly straightforward. It wouldn't have changed the status quo.
So, it wouldn't have happened without Brexit, that is correct, but it also wouldn't have happened if we had had a different Brexit agreement. The Protocol arose essentially because Mr [Boris] Johnson suddenly decided that he could live with it. It was something he had rejected while he was in government with Mrs May, and Mrs May had said no British government could accept [this], so it's absolutely not the case that it is just the fault of the Protocol, and even if it were the question is: "where did that Protocol come from?" And it came from a particular conception of Brexit which was one of very very arm's length, very little integration.
((WN)) COVID-19 has restricted the opportunity and the willingness to spend, leading some economists to predict a post-lockdown surge in consumer spending, not just in the UK but across the world. What impact do you think this will have on UK imports from other countries, and do you think it will impact any trade talks that would go on during this time?
((L. Alan Winters)) I mean I think we don't know yet how COVID is going to turn out, but we know that a pretty close connection between the country's income and the amount that it imports. So, for any country in the world, you cut income, you cut imports. If COVID, you know, while we are recovering from COVID, imports are going to be mostly is going to be somewhat lower. If we don't ever catch up, as it were, to where we would have been without COVID, imports won't catch up either.
I think its impact on trade talks is a second-order thing. I mean, you know, if you import a bit less, there might be a little bit less interest in having a trade agreement, it might just be the thing that stops you from signing one, but it's all so small that I certainly couldn't make any prediction in that dimension; I don't think that really anybody else could. But, you know, trade is affected by income, we know that, that's clear.
((WN)) The country's Brexit minister Lord Frost said 12th of March that "[f]reight volumes between the UK and the EU have been back to their normal levels" since the beginning of February and that recent drops in UK-EU trade were made "inevitable" because of the "unique" circumstances of pre-Christmas stockpiling and lockdowns across Europe. What are your thoughts?
((L. Alan Winters)) We're waiting for the data. The UKTPO published a paper last week, possibly ten days ago, looking at [the] first three months' trade data, and in most cases it turned out that trade had not recovered to, sort of, pre-2020 levels after the end of the transition period. The drop was not as large as it looked like in January, and it is certainly true that because of stockpiling prior to the end of the transition period January and February always were going to have very low trade volumes.
So, I think I don't agree with Frost that things have got back to normal, and in particular this statement on March the 12th I believe is about, actually, the volume of movements, not the value of trade. When you talk to the logistics companies, they say "yeah, but, you know, half of those containers are empty!" One of the disruptive things over the last three months is lining up containers on both directions, and that is one of the things that Brexit has done. When we were members of the EU, a British lorry could take exports out to, say, Italy, it could call in France, it could call in Germany and call in Belgium to pick up stuff to bring back, cross back. Now it's no longer able to: it picks up to bring EU goods into the UK, they only can pick up in one place; on the way out, it can only deliver [to] two places.
So, there's as much shipping—you have to ship these things around, but they're not generating the same value of trade as previously. So the value numbers are fairly clearly down, yet, we just don't know. We think, my prediction is, trade is going to be lower. But, we don't yet have the absolutely firm evidence that that is the case.
((WN)) The UK started talks yesterday with members of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). The Trade Secretary on [30] January, which is when the UK first applied to join, said that in joining the agreement it would "create enormous opportunities for UK businesses that simply weren’t there as part of the EU". What impacts on trade do you foresee if the UK actually does join the CPTPP?
((L. Alan Winters)) There will be some impact, there's no doubt, but we, in general, we don't think there'll be a huge impact, and so in a sense it all hangs around how enormous is 'enormous'. Why don't we think there will be enormous impacts on trade?
Well one, these countries are a long way away! And so, trade is costly, it's difficult to co-ordinate, it's expensive to carry out.
Secondly, of the members of the CPTPP, we already have trade agreements, I think, with seven of them. We are busily negotiating a trade agreement with Australia and New Zealand, so that's another two that would be taken care of, you know. The number of areas where CPTPP opens up trade is really rather small. Malaysia is a country we would get, you know, some tariff concessions from, and offer tariff concessions to, which we don't have any other way.
The CPTPP also liberalises 95% of tariff lines in the goods classification that we use for international trade: about twelve thousand, fifteen thousand entries; CPTPP aims to have zero tariffs and 95% of them−I think UK-Japan has got zero tariffs, eventually [they're] going to have them on 99.7%; with Europe it's a 100%, and so on. So, CPTPP doesn't really add much liberalisation in goods. It will affect trade, probably digital trade, digital rules will be a bit different, it will have a bit of an effect, probably, on intellectual property issues, pharmaceuticals, just slightly different regulations.
So it will have some effect, but we, frankly, wouldn't have expected it to be enormous. Yeah, it's what Ms Truss has to say, but, yeah, frankly it's sort of, it's not, in any standard usage of the word, it would not be 'enormous'.
((WN)) Carbis Bay, Cornwall will host this year's G7 in a week's time. What do you think the Prime Minister needs to bring up as it relates to trade opportunities?
((L. Alan Winters)) Well, I think the important thing for the G7 is actually for the Prime Minister not to focus on British trade at all, but to focus on trying to repair the multilateral trading system.
A couple of things that would be important here: one is to try and make the Americans think more favourably about restoring the health of the dispute settlement process within the World Trade Organization. They refused the reappointment of the judges who run the appellate system in the World Trade Organization — the WTO —, and so that whole system has just ground to a halt. I think it would be very constructive if we could get a G7 agreement that, no no, we now intend and we can see how, we're going to repair that.
The second is that one ought to be able to think about advancing the way to do so-called 'plurilateral agreements' within the WTO. The WTO, by convention, works by consensus: everybody has to agree, or, at least, not oppose. And that may have made it impossible to change the rules in the WTO for 27 years, since 1994. That's an exaggeration: it's made it impossible to do significant changes. And the reason, often, is there's only a small number of countries, a small number of interests who don't want to do particular things.
Making it easier for subsets of countries to agree to improve trading conditions would be a big step forward−you can still have a system whereby either they agree they're going to change their trading conditions, improve conditions for imports into their country, and apply it to everybody, even those people who haven't agreed to make those changes, and that just seems like a straightforward game. But even getting that through the WTO has proved very difficult.
And secondly, we have a few, small number of trade agreements that apply only between a few members of the WTO: less than the whole of the membership of the WTO. And they can only be instituted and introduced into the WTO if everybody agrees, even those people who are outside, and that just hasn't happened.
So, allowing smaller−but still quite large−I mean, 60, 70, 80 members to go ahead and make agreements among themselves to change their conditions of trade would start to ease up the log-jam that we have in the world['s] trading system, and that would help bring it into line. Yeah, we really don't have agreements about e-commerce, we don't have very much agreement on services, and all the things that are the dynamic elements of international trade that sort of lie outside WTO's effective range, because there are a few countries that resisted; we can't bring them in.
And so, one wants to sort of set up a system that is largely a political system that makes it possible for those countries to say: "we're not very interested, but as long as it doesn't hurt us, we don't mind if you go ahead with it." And at the moment, they don't have incentives, they don't have trust enough to do it.
So, the other thing I would do would do is have G7 work, in a very focused way, on how you can reassure people, members of the member countries in the WTO, that other subsets of countries can do things which don't harm them, and therefore they ought to let it go ahead, rather than block it. So those are the two things I would put on Johnson's agenda.
((WN)) This meeting will be with quite a lot of large countries, and the Prime Minister has invited India and Australia [to attend], countries which he is making an active effort to make agreements with, for the UK to have greater relations with them. Would you believe, in any way, a part of recovery from COVID-19 could be reached next week that would involve the countries in the G7?
((L. Alan Winters)) You know, the COVID recovery is not an area which I feel I have great expertise in. There are certainly things that can be done to ease recovery, one of which would be agreements on providing [COVID-19] vaccines for the whole of the world rather than just the rich countries; agreements on trading vaccines or components of vaccines or other medical equipment without restrictions, and if G7, or G7 plus India, Australia and South Korea decided to agree to go down those routes, they would certainly help a bit.
I confess I don't have much of a feel for what the politics would be, and whether that's very likely.
What you say about the three extra members is this is not, as you say, as you hinted, sort of a self-interested group of the next three democracies: they're three democracies Britain is trying hard to court! Now, I'm all in favour of co-operation, and I think for world trade purposes, certainly getting the Indians to feel more comfortable with the multilateral trading system would be quite a leap forward.
I'm not very happy if this is an attempt to further encircle China. I'm concerned about Chinese-versus-West tensions, and while I think it's perfectly legitimate for China and the democracies to say "no no, we believe in different things", at the moment it seems to me, rather, ramped up, and it would, in the slightly longer run, we need to be aiming to make it more co-operative, and less confrontational. And, the Democracies Club, is presented sometimes in a somewhat anti-China light, and I think that would be an unfortunate way of starting it off. There are useful things that the democracies can do together, quite irrespective of their policies with China, and if they certainly do need to think about how [the] West and China get on, but it's not clear to me that this is necessary the best modality.
We have to wait and see. I mean, in a sense for China, the really critical thing is where's India going to come out in this, I think, and it's difficult to know. The Indians do not always like international groups and international laws. So, I think we have to wait and see how it works out.
((WN)) Do you believe that there is any 'perfect' trade relationship in the world between two countries or organisations that the UK could look to for guidance?
((L. Alan Winters)) On the whole, I think that trade relations should be very close. I think we're all beneficiaries of, essentially, removing barriers to international commerce, so that they are very low. And we have to recognise that if that harms people, we have to support them: we need systems that allow one to adjust to foreign shocks.
But what are the ideal relationships in my mind? You sent me the question, I thought about it, and I suddenly realised: every relationship that I can think of that is deep and is a model, is essentially between neighbouring countries. So, the real message is, just be more sensible about Europe! But, you know, France and Germany [have] a very strong relationship; Australia and New Zealand, pretty good relationship; NAFTA [North American Free Trade Agreement]: [Donald] Trump rather disturbed it, but, frankly, NAFTA has had a big effect in North America.
Neighbours, and co-operation.
((WN)) Do you think the UK should work harder to align itself more with the World Trade Organization?
((L. Alan Winters)) The UK is moderately-well-aligned with the World Trade Organization. There was a view, a few years ago, that Britain suddenly having an independent voice in the World Trade Organization would suddenly dynamise the organisation and solve all its problems: it was just immense hubris. That has clearly not come to pass, as, frankly, the whole international trade profession predicted it doesn't work like that.
And so Britain ought, as a middle-sized country with a long tradition of openness, [to] have [an] extremely important role to play in the WTO. It's a role of leadership and leadership by example, but it's a quiet and self-effacing role, and that's not something that Brits, yet, have got their heads around. The Kennedy School in Harvard University produced a series about Britain after Brexit, and the most recent one, you know, essentially said, you know: "what now?" And the biggest single theme out of that was humility. The Brits have got to get their head around, they cannot just boss people around!
And if you look–I'm going around to one of your previous questions–if you look at the comments about accession to the CPTPP, you very often hear to say: "oh no, we need to be in that group so we can influence it", and 'influence' is a polite word for 'date'. This idea that Britain is going to lead the CPTPP is, my view: embarrassing. And it's not the way that you achieve influence, at least in world trade. I can't comment on other aspects of foreign policy, but in world trade, in a sense, showing off and squaring your shoulders: it doesn't work.
The people who are good at managing world trade organisations are the countries that are naturally, or perhaps have learned, to be much quieter, much more subtle than the Brits are at the moment. You think about Canadians, or think perhaps about the Japanese. So, you know, I think we ought to align with the WTO, but we should do it, as it were, quietly and co-operatively rather than pushing our way to the front and saying "we're the leaders, follow us!" They won't, that's the truth: they're just not going to!
((WN)) Is there anything else you'd like to say about Brexit and UK trade, more broadly?
((L. Alan Winters)) I suppose only that, you know, most trade policy is a, sort of a quiet business, it's plodding away, it's sorting out little difficulties. It's not grand, it's not photo opportunities. And this focus that, in a sense, signing these trade agreements is 90% of what trade policy is, in the end, is not very helpful. Real trade agreements take a long time to negotiate, even longer to implement and even larger to, sort of, enlarge and deepen. And so, we ought to have, you know, in a sense acquire a more thoughtful, more analytical view of trade policy.
We also need to work out in Britain what we think about lots of other things, and then make trade policy commensurate with it. You know, I wrote a letter to The Times a couple of weeks ago–less than a couple weeks ago, I think, when I said: "look, you know, it's fine the government says 'oh, it signs this deal with Japan, with the most advanced digital trade chapter, you know, known in European or in UK trading history', but the trouble is there's been no debate within Britain at all about what sort of digital policies we want". Trade policy in Britain is almost unconstrained: the executive has almost no constraints on doing what it wants with trade policy.
And I am concerned that they are trying to use trade policy, as it were, to influence other areas of policy that actually ought to be subject to real, internal debate, and internal agreement, and then use the trade policy to reinforce, you know, back it up when it comes to dealing with other countries. So, I think it needs to be sort of longer-sighted, and it needs to be put into a larger context, and neither of these generate headlines and photo opportunities like signing free trade agreements, even rather small ones.
So, I mean, I guess that's sort of my overview of where we are with UK trade policy.
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| 'Each makes the other more difficult to recover from': University of Sussex professor L. Alan Winters speaks to Wikinews on trade, COVID-19, Brexit | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Each_makes_the_other_more_difficult_to_recover_from%27:_University_of_Sussex_professor_L._Alan_Winters_speaks_to_Wikinews_on_trade,_COVID-19,_Brexit |
On Monday, at the 58 Grammy Awards ceremony, Canadian singer The Weeknd won his first Grammy Award, Best R&B Performance, for his song Earned It, which was also featured on the soundtrack of the 2015 Fifty Shades of Grey movie based on E.L. James's erotic novel Fifty Shades of Grey.
The Weeknd also won the Grammy Award for Best Urban Contemporary Album for his second studio album Beauty Behind the Madness. Abel Tesfaye — The Weeknd — had seven nominations in total including Record of the Year for his song Can't Feel My Face and Album of the Year.
The YouTube video of the song received more than 179 million views and more than 1.1 million likes.
The Weeknd was also nominated for Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance, but British singer Ed Sheeran won the golden gramophone for his song Thinking Out Loud.
Last year, Beyoncé won the Award for Best R&B Song for Drunk in Love featuring her husband Jay-Z.
This awards ceremony marked the first Grammy wins for The Weeknd, Justin Bieber and Ed Sheeran.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Earned It' earns The Weeknd his first Grammy | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Earned_It%27_earns_The_Weeknd_his_first_Grammy |
In May, a study was published in journal Nature Astronomy, conducted by Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Dr Sara Seager and other researchers, showing single-celled organisms like Escherichia coli (E. coli) and yeast can thrive in both 100% hydrogen gas and helium atmospheres. Wikinews discussed the findings with Dr Seager to know more about her research.
Life has not been observed in any habitat other than Earth, which has an oxygen-rich environment. While Earth's atmosphere is dominated by nitrogen gas, oxygen is essential for advanced living organisms. Some species of microorganisms do not require oxygen for metabolism, called anærobic organisms, such as methanogens which rely on carbon-dioxide while releasing methane.
Researchers used Escherichia coli strain K-12 and Saccharomyces cerevisiæ strain S288C for this experiment. The two microorganisms were kept in four different environments: one being 100% air, and the other three being anærobic environments: 100% H2, 100% He, and 80%-20% N2-CO2. The environments were kept in at 28° Celsius. The researchers made sure the anaerobic experiment environments were anoxic, and had installed oxygen sensors to report fluctuation in the oxygen level. They monitored growth of E. coli using optical density measurement, and they used a hæmocytometer for yeast.
The study reported the organisms were reproducing normally in both 100% H2 and 100% He environment. However, the sigmoid-shaped growth curve was not on par with 100% air. E. coli and yeast switch from ærobic respiration, which uses oxygen, to anærobic respiration and fermentation. Both processes are less efficient and do not produce as much energy as ærobic respiration.
E. coli in an 80%-20% N2-CO2 environment had slower growth rate as CO2 dissolves and makes the liquid medium acidic. Such reduction in growth rate was not observed for yeast cultures, which can thrive in acidic environments. However, yeast's growth rate in 100% air was far greater than in the other three media. The likely reason for this significant difference was lack of oxygen for non-respiratory purposes, the research reported. Oxygen is essential for synthesis of biochemicals such as heme and sterols, which are important for yeast. In atmospheres lacking oxygen to produce these chemicals, yeast fungi have stunted growth rate.
With this discovery, Dr Seager said scientists can now observe even more planets to study for habitable life.
"There's a diversity of habitable worlds out there, and we have confirmed that Earth-based life can survive in hydrogen-rich atmospheres. We should definitely add those kinds of planets to the menu of options when thinking of life on other worlds, and actually trying to find it", Professor Seager said.
A rocky planet with expanded hydrogen-rich atmosphere should be easy to detect using the emerging technologies. Hydrogen and helium gas have very low density. Dr Seager said, "It's kind of hard to get your head around, but that light gas just makes the atmosphere more expansive [...] And for telescopes, the bigger the atmosphere is compared to the backdrop of a planet's star, the easier it is to detect."
The research paper noted rocky planets which have radius below 1.7 times Earth's radius (Earth's radius is roughly 6360 km) can support a hydrogen-rich atmosphere, if water were to react with Iron.
The research paper reported E. coli releases a number of gases when it lives in hydrogen-based atmosphere including ammonia, methanethiol, dimethylsulfide, carbonyl sulfide, carbonyl disulfide and nitrous oxide. These gases can serve as biosignature gases which can help astronomers detect and study potential life on exoplanets.
Confirming life can thrive in atmospheres that do not have oxygen, Seager said "Astronomers should keep an open mind as to which planets are worth searching for life".
With NASA's James Webb Telescope scheduled to be deployed next year, the paper suggests researchers could observe smaller exoplanets that orbit small red-dwarf stars.
What prompted your interest in studying the survival of single-celled organisms in hydrogen gas environments?
((Sara Seager)) We wanted to show to astronomers that life can [survive] in hydrogen gas environments because planet atmospheres dominated by hydrogen are the easiest to study with current techniques (as opposed to N2 or CO2-dominated atmospheres).
((WN)) What led you to conduct this research?
((Sara Seager)) It's one of my life's goals to find signs of life on exoplanets. We'd hate to have missed something just because we were too narrow minded.
When I and others write proposals to use the upcoming telescopes (including the James Webb Space Telescope and the extremely large telescopes now under construction: ELT, TMT, GMT) we want to be able to point to evidence that hydrogen atmospheres shouldn't kill or destroy life.
((WN)) When did the team start working on this study?
((Sara Seager)) About three years ago. However we started working in earnest about 2 years ago.
((WN)) Could you explain — in very simple terms — what you've done and what you saw?
((Sara Seager)) We grew microorganisms E. coli (a 'Prokaryote') and yeast (a more complex 'Eukaryote') in atmospheres other than air, including molecular hydrogen (and also helium and a carbon dioxide/nitrogen mixture). We saw that life could grow and thrive in these other atmosphere types. Although, the microbes grew more slowly than they would in air, i.e. with oxygen.
((WN)) What activities did this study involve?
((Sara Seager)) Custom-made sealed bottles with E. coli and yeast growing in them.
((WN)) Which activity took the most time and attention?
((Sara Seager)) The custom equipment was the most time consuming.
((WN)) Were there any challenges the team faced while conducting this experiment?
((Sara Seager)) Hydrogen gas is considered unsafe in large quantities. Although we only used small amounts there were safety regulations that made our work challenging.
((WN)) What is the most fascinating aspect of this discovery? How is it going to affect future space exploration?
((Sara Seager)) That E. coli, a simple single-celled organism, can produce so many different gases. Proving to the astronomy community that life can survive and thrive in a hydrogen-dominated environment will enable astronomers to jump-start the search for life because hydrogen-dominated planet atmospheres are easiest to study.
((WN)) Were you surprised by the results?
((Sara Seager)) No, and the biologists on my team and elsewhere are not surprised either. Hydrogen is not known to be toxic to life. And, the life was not gaining energy from the atmosphere but rather from the "broth", the liquid culture the microbes were living in.
One thing I was personally surprised about is the diversity of gases produced by E. coli; this lowly life form can give us scientific hope that a range of interesting gases might also be produced by simple microbial-type life on exoplanets.
((WN)) How would you define what a 'biosignature gas' is and what is its advantage in looking for life in exoplanets compared to other forms[?]
((Sara Seager)) A "biosignature gas" is one that is produced by life, can accumulate in a planetary atmosphere, and be detected with remote space telescopes. It is a "sign" of life, not foolproof evidence of life.
Exoplanets are so so so far away. We can barely study their atmospheres at all. Looking for gases that don't belong in a given atmosphere is the main way we can hope to search for signs of life beyond our solar system.
An example is oxygen on Earth. Oxygen (O2) fills our atmosphere to 20% by volume. Without plants and photosynthetic bacteria, there would be no oxygen. If there is an alien civilization with the kind of telescopes we are hoping to build, and they can see oxygen in our atmosphere, they will know oxygen is a highly reactive gas and shouldn't be present. The aliens might infer there is life producing the oxygen.
The alternative is SETI — search for extra terrestrial signatures by way of mostly radio signals. That requires intelligent life intentionally sending us a signal. In the search for biosignature gases we can rely on simple single-celled life.
((WN)) Did your team also investigate the growth pattern of the bacteria in other biosignature gases?
((Sara Seager)) No.
((WN)) There are a few microbes on Earth known to thrive in hydrogen-rich environments. Why did you decide to investigate yeast and E. coli for this experiment?
((Sara Seager)) Hydrogen-rich environments on Earth are incredibly rare and not well known. We decided to do a simple experiment to communicate clearly to astronomers that live can survive and thrive in hydrogen environments.
((WN)) If there are planets with hydrogen-dominant atmosphere which can host life — will they have ultra-violet protection layer like the ozone gas? If not, how will it affect the evolution of the life of these single-celled bacteria?
((Sara Seager)) No. The organisms may have to develop UV resistance like some life on Earth has.
((WN)) In the experiment, the study reported yeast had "a substantially lower maximal cell concentration in the pure hydrogen-gas environment". What could be the reason for that?
((Sara Seager)) Even though life can survive without oxygen, life reproduces more with oxygen.
((WN)) The research paper talks about systems with hydrogen gas in abundance in the atmosphere. Do you suspect microorganisms might be living in some of those systems?
((Sara Seager)) On Earth, yes, in niches.
((WN)) Are there habitats on Earth that might hint at what life on a hydrogen-rich atmosphere planet might look like?
((Sara Seager)) Not really.
((WN)) Should this change our search for life on other planets? If so, how?
((Sara Seager)) This should open up — continue to push — astronomers on what kinds of planets might be habitable. We will have so few planets to search for life around, even with our upcoming sophisticated telescopes, that we want to keep options open.
((WN)) What are some of the ways to detect microscopic alien life on an exoplanet? Or is it beyond the limitations of physical instruments?
((Sara Seager)) Currently beyond limitation. Future telescopes will be able to search for gases that might be linked to microbes.
((WN)) Are there any candidate exoplanets or satellites which meet the above description to be potential hosts for life?
((Sara Seager)) There is a list, but we do not know enough about the exoplanets, we need more information.
((WN)) Are some categories of exoplanets more likely to support hydrogen-based lifeforms?
((Sara Seager)) Super Earths. We know hot Jupiters and giant exoplanets have hydrogen/helium atmospheres but they are too hot beneath the atmospheres for life to survive.
((WN)) Can you describe the kind of planet that would likely have such an atmosphere?
((Sara Seager)) Planets are born with hydrogen in their atmospheres; even Earth had a tiny amount in its atmosphere. Past calculations (that is theory, not observation) show the scenarios under which a planet can have a hydrogen-dominated atmosphere. It can outgas if it is made of building blocks that have H-containing minerals. Or some planets can capture an H/He from the planetary nebula while the planet is forming, then even if they lose some H and He it might be maintained from outgassing from the interior.
((WN)) How massive do the exoplanets have to be, so there is enough atmosphere available to support hydrogen-based life? I suspect below a threshold, the planet's gravitational pull might be too weak, the planet may lose its atmosphere.
((Sara Seager)) Correct. We know very little about exoplanet atmospheres; forthcoming observations are needed to learn more.
((WN)) Will the yeast and E. coli survive in a very thin atmosphere or in vacuum?
((Sara Seager)) Probably not.
((WN)) Does E. coli or yeast consume hydrogen gas for their survival?
((Sara Seager)) No.
((WN)) How many hydrogen gas-dominant exoplanets or satellites have been discovered? How common are they?
((Sara Seager)) Rocky planets with hydrogen-gas dominated atmospheres haven't been discovered yet because we can't yet observe and study rocky planet atmospheres.
((WN)) Can we predict the category of the host stars where the planets may support life?
((Sara Seager)) We cannot.
((WN)) What are some of the adverse effects of living in a high concentration of hydrogen gas for E. coli and yeast?
((Sara Seager)) To my knowledge, none.
((WN)) How did you ensure the gas concentration remained stable throughout the experiment?
((Sara Seager)) Sealed bottles.
((WN)) Were [the microbes] taken out of the bottles for [counting]?
((Sara Seager)) Yes, with a needle so that air would not enter the bottles.
((WN)) The growth curve of 100% helium and 100% hydrogen gas environments were nearly the same. What does that suggest?
((Sara Seager)) That the life we studied can probably survive in any type of non-poisonous atmosphere if it has energy, nutrients, and liquid.
((WN)) What's the significance of learning that microorganisms can survive and grow in a 100% hydrogen atmosphere?
((Sara Seager)) We used a pure 100% hydrogen atmosphere as a proxy for a hydrogen-dominated atmosphere (as atmosphere[s] are unlikely to be pure anything).
The significance is for astronomers. In our further search for life on exoplanets (once the next-generation telescopes are available to us) we will look for signs of life by way of gases in exoplanet atmospheres that might be produced by life.
Rocky planets with hydrogen atmospheres will be easier to study than atmospheres with nitrogen (N2) or carbon-dioxide atmospheres because hydrogen is a light gas and creates an expansive atmosphere.
I should note that we don't have any rocky planets yet known with hydrogen atmospheres, but they are theorized. Nor do we have a large number of rocky planets with accessible atmospheres at all. So this whole sentiment is somewhat in the future.
((WN)) What can we infer from the growth curve of the bacteria in 80% nitrogen gas, 20% carbon dioxide environment?
((Sara Seager)) This atmosphere was used as a control and was not intended to have meaning on its own.
((WN)) How do you think next year's James Webb Telescope will set the course of astrobiology for years to come?
((Sara Seager)) Webb is poised to answer some of your above questions relating to rocky exoplanet atmospheres. Webb has a small chance to find biosignature gases, but there are really only a small pool of planets available for study.
((WN)) Are there any future plans to follow up on this study? Perhaps in different physical environments and with different microorganisms?
((Sara Seager)) My team is not planning on follow-up work.
((WN)) What lies ahead in this field of research?
((Sara Seager)) Observations with Webb, and with other telescopes now under construction.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Earth-based life can survive in hydrogen-rich atmospheres': MIT professor Dr Seager tells Wikinews about her research on organisms thriving in oxygen-less environment | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Earth-based_life_can_survive_in_hydrogen-rich_atmospheres%27:_MIT_professor_Dr_Seager_tells_Wikinews_about_her_research_on_organisms_thriving_in_oxygen-less_environment |
U.S. and Canada — North American movie box offices were dominated by Universal pictures last weekend as two of its films, a comedy, Meet the Fockers, and a horror flick, White Noise, together raked in a combined $52.6 million, more than half the $98.3 all films made over the Jan. 7 weekend, according to film tracking firm Box Office Mojo.
But Universal's dominance of the North American box office receipts is in danger as 20th Century Fox, Paramount, Warner Brothers and Sony all have films debuting in wide release Friday.
After a two-week drought of new releases with Noise the only debut, the Jan. 14 weekend is relatively crowded as three new films bow and one Oscar-buzz movie expands into wide release.
The following films will be playing in at least 1,000 U.S. and Canada venues:
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Electra'-fying competition faces 'Fockers' | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Electra%27-fying_competition_faces_%27Fockers%27 |
Over 1,700 women from more than 40 nations marched through Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) yesterday, to protest sexual violence against their gender. The United Nations calls the nation the "rape capital of the world" and estimates 15,000 rapes were committed last year in the DRC. One local activist said "They [the women] have had enough, enough, enough, enough. Enough of the [civil] war, of the rape, of nobody paying attention to what's happening to them."
Both rebel groups and government troops are accused of rape, with march organisers hoping to draw international attention to rape as a weapon in war. Eastern Congo is worse affected, and aid groups have suggested the actual figure may be higher as victims are unlikely to come forward. The UN states mass rapes have occurred in the area for at least 15 years. Some rape victims left hospital to participate in the march.
The third "World March of Women" followed several days of talks aimed at changing the social acceptance of violence, especially against women, in the Congo. Peace and development were also on the agenda for women from nations including Togo, South Africa, Pakistan, and Brazil. Some men also joined the discussions.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Enough, enough, enough, enough': 1700 women march against mass rape in DR Congo | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Enough,_enough,_enough,_enough%27:_1700_women_march_against_mass_rape_in_DR_Congo |
Over 1,700 women from more than 40 nations marched through Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) yesterday, to protest sexual violence against their gender. The United Nations calls the nation the "rape capital of the world" and estimates 15,000 rapes were committed last year in the DRC. One local activist said "They [the women] have had enough, enough, enough, enough. Enough of the [civil] war, of the rape, of nobody paying attention to what's happening to them."
Both rebel groups and government troops are accused of rape, with march organisers hoping to draw international attention to rape as a weapon in war. Eastern Congo is worse affected, and aid groups have suggested the actual figure may be higher as victims are unlikely to come forward. The UN states mass rapes have occurred in the area for at least 15 years. Some rape victims left hospital to participate in the march.
The third "World March of Women" followed several days of talks aimed at changing the social acceptance of violence, especially against women, in the Congo. Peace and development were also on the agenda for women from nations including Togo, South Africa, Pakistan, and Brazil. Some men also joined the discussions.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Enough, enough, enough, enough': 1700 women march against mass rape in DR Congo | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Enough,_enough,_enough:%27_Over_1,700_women_march_against_mass_rape_in_DR_Congo |
The Indian National Security Advisor M K Narayanan has said that India doesn't have "clinching" evidence of the involvement of Pakistan's intelligence agency, the ISI in the Mumbai train blasts of July 11, which killed 207 people and injured several hundred more.
"I would hesitate to say we have clinching evidence but we have pretty good evidence," he was quoted as saying on CNN-IBN.
This statement from a high-ranking Indian official goes against the assertion of the Anti-Terror Squad chief KP Raghuvanshi on October 1 that there was enough evidence "to nail ISI" in the blasts.
Following Narayanan's remarks, the Union Home Secretary V.K. Duggal on Monday characterised the evidence as "very good [...] it is fairly solid evidence."
According to Narayanan, India has information related to connectivity, linkages, confessions and arrests, but there are pieces of puzzle that are not available.
The statement from the security advisor to the Prime Minister reveals that India is yet to complete the investigation, although the Mumbai police had given the impression otherwise.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Evidence against ISI not clinching' says Indian National Security Adviser | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Evidence_against_ISI_not_clinching%27_says_Indian_National_Security_Adviser |
The use of a 25-second clip from John Lennon's song Imagine in a film critical of the Theory of Evolution has been deemed likely to be defensible under a fair use doctrine by U.S. District Judge Sidney Stein.
The film Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, produced by Premise Media and starring comedian Ben Stein, uses the clip to represent "the most popular and persuasive embodiment of this viewpoint that the world is better off without religion", according to Premise representative Anthony Falzone at a hearing last month. In the song, Lennon proposes the hypothetical "Imagine there's no heaven ... and no religion too".
On April 23, 2008, Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, along with his sons Julian and Sean, and music producer EMI Blackwood, Inc., filed suit against Premise Media seeking damages for alleged copyright infringement, as the song had not been licensed to appear in the film. On May 19, a preliminary injunction was issued, preventing distribution of the film. On June 2, Judge Stein of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled that the fair use defense would likely succeed if it went to court, and lifted the injunction. In his judgement, he wrote that "the fair use of a copyrighted work for the purposes of criticism and commentary is not an infringement of copyright".
Expelled is a documentary that claims that intelligent design proponents are being suppressed by the majority of the scientific community. It has received criticism from many scientists and film critics, and has also faced copyright claims over animated sequences that resemble the short animation The Inner Life of the Cell, produced by XVIVO and Harvard University.
In a statement Ono commented that "it is a pity that this decision weakens the rights of all copyright owners". She plans to appeal the decision.
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| 'Expelled' fair use upheld | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Expelled%27_fair_use_upheld |
A new intelligent design creationist movie, Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, starring Ben Stein, is scheduled to debut April 18, but several different sources have accused the film's producer of copyright violations. Though the movie has been criticized by Dr. Richard Dawkins, Dr. PZ Myers, and Dr. Eugenie Scott, who said they were tricked into appearing in the film, as well as from movie critics and scientists, the legal issues might develop into trouble for the producers.
On April 9, a cease-and-desist letter was sent to the producers of Expelled, alleging that the appearance in the film of an identical copy of XVIVO's video entitled The Inner Life of the Cell, which was created in partnership with Harvard University, infringed on XVIVO/Harvard's property. Shortly after, a letter was sent by David Bolinsky of XVIVO who wrote that Expelled's misuse of XVIVO/Harvard's work is harmful to their work.
On April 16, the The Wall Street Journal reported that Expelled producers did not receive permission to use John Lennon's "Imagine" from Yoko Ono, who possesses the copyright on the music. At the same time, it was noted that the producer also did not receive permission from The Killers for their song "All these Things That I Have Done." In addition, Myers believes Expelled copied material without permission from WEHI-TV and Public Broadcasting Service's video The Central Dogma: Transcription of DNA to RNA.
The topic of the film has also not been without controversy, as the scientific community does not believe intelligent design is valid science. Some scientists have panned the movie as "anti-science." Furthermore, the film received attention a month ago when Myers, who is interviewed and thanked in the film, was asked to leave a free screening of the movie by Mark Mathis, the movie's associate producer. However, Mathis did not notice Dawkins standing in line next to Myers who subsequently saw the film and wrote critically of it.
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The Haitian cholera outbreak has killed 292 people and infected over 4000, according to the Haitian government, although there are no new cases in the earthquake ravaged capital, Port-au-Prince. Neighboring countries, Dominican Republic and Jamaica have begun to implement measures to prevent the disease from spreading.
—Jon AndrusThe Deputy Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Jon Andrus said, "health aides are in Haitian camps, educating people about proper food, water and waste treatment." He also added that "the goal is to provide 24-hours-a-day medical care."
The United Nations (UN) is calling the cholera outbreak "extremely serious" and it would be "irresponsible to plan for anything but a considerably wider outbreak." A United Nations spokesperson also expressed concerned that the disease might become more widespread. Members of CARE medical teams have been working non-stop to treat the sick, but the number of people who need treatment still remain high.
—Jamaican PM, Bruce GoldingAlthough no cases of the disease have been reported in the Dominican Republic or Jamaica, the countries are beefing up their defenses. The Jamaican Prime Minister, Bruce Golding, said yesterday that the coast guard have increased their high seas patrols to prevent individuals infected with the disease from fleeing to the country. He also added that "we must all ensure that we practise good hygiene, wash our hands with soap regularly, drink only boiled water or bottled water." Golding informed the cabinet that the Ministry of Health has begun to beef up operations in select towns which are still suffering from high waters due to the passage of Tropical Storm Nicole.
In the Dominican Republic health officials are present and are currently putting measures in place to prevent the disease from spreading over to the country. These include tight border control and bans on cooked or raw food from Haiti.
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The Haitian cholera outbreak has killed 292 people and infected over 4000, according to the Haitian government, although there are no new cases in the earthquake ravaged capital, Port-au-Prince. Neighboring countries, Dominican Republic and Jamaica have begun to implement measures to prevent the disease from spreading.
—Jon AndrusThe Deputy Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Jon Andrus said, "health aides are in Haitian camps, educating people about proper food, water and waste treatment." He also added that "the goal is to provide 24-hours-a-day medical care."
The United Nations (UN) is calling the cholera outbreak "extremely serious" and it would be "irresponsible to plan for anything but a considerably wider outbreak." A United Nations spokesperson also expressed concerned that the disease might become more widespread. Members of CARE medical teams have been working non-stop to treat the sick, but the number of people who need treatment still remain high.
—Jamaican PM, Bruce GoldingAlthough no cases of the disease have been reported in the Dominican Republic or Jamaica, the countries are beefing up their defenses. The Jamaican Prime Minister, Bruce Golding, said yesterday that the coast guard have increased their high seas patrols to prevent individuals infected with the disease from fleeing to the country. He also added that "we must all ensure that we practise good hygiene, wash our hands with soap regularly, drink only boiled water or bottled water." Golding informed the cabinet that the Ministry of Health has begun to beef up operations in select towns which are still suffering from high waters due to the passage of Tropical Storm Nicole.
In the Dominican Republic health officials are present and are currently putting measures in place to prevent the disease from spreading over to the country. These include tight border control and bans on cooked or raw food from Haiti.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Explosive' Haitian cholera outbreak kills 292, neighboring countries prepare | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Explosive%27_Haitian_cholera_outbreak_kills_292,_neighboring_countries_prepare |
The animated series Family Guy returned to the FOX television network with a new episode Sunday for the first time since it was taken off the schedule three years ago. Although the show kept most of its audience that lead-in The Simpsons gave, FOX was still fourth out of five major broadcast networks in the half-hour, losing most notably to ABC's hit Desperate Housewives (UPN, the other major American broadcast network, does not air original programming on Sundays).
However, the season premiere of Family Guy and the series debut of American Dad (which helped usher in what the network termed "The New FOX Sunday") helped bring FOX to the #2 spot out of five networks in the crucial 18 to 49 demographic, one of the most important to advertisers in the key May sweeps period. "Sweeps" occurs four times a year and helps networks and independent affiliates determine how much a fixed amount of time for commercial advertisement will cost (the higher the ratings, the more revenue for the networks selling the time to advertisers).
On the whole, Family Guy averaged a 6.3 rating in the overnights as posted by Zap2It. While the overnight ratings are fairly accurate, the numbers are preliminary and are subject to minor change. One ratings point is equal to 1,096,000 households, as there are now 109,600,000 households in the United States with at least one television. This translates into a little more than 6.9 million households whose sets were tuned into Family Guy, as recorded by the sample of "Nielsen families," who record their viewing habits and contribute to the ratings process the US uses. The use of the word "share" in the article means that it is the rough percentage of viewers with their sets on at that hour tuning into a certain program. For example, nine percent of viewers in the United States with their televisions on at 9 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time were tuned to Family Guy.
This only added up to a 9 household share for the hour, compared to an 11 share for Law & Order: Criminal Intent on NBC, a 14 share for a CBS Hallmark Hall of Fame movie of the week (traditionally only aired during the key sweeps periods), and a 23 share for the aforementioned Desperate Housewives. Averaged with the performance of American Dad, a cartoon produced by Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane, FOX earned a mere 5.8 rating/9 share for the hour.
The episode revolved around a big scheme Peter Griffin, the main character of the series, conjured. To give his wife Lois (who no longer finds him sexually attractive) a second honeymoon in order to "spice up" their love life, he pretends to be actor Mel Gibson so they can stay in a new luxury hotel for free. Peter stumbles upon a sequel to the film The Passion of the Christ, and vows to keep the movie from ever seeing the light of day. To get the movie back, Gibson kidnaps Lois and keeps her captive on top of Mount Rushmore, which leads to a scene in which the three battle on top of the monument, in a homage to the film North by Northwest.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Family Guy' returns to US television, loses in ratings to 'Housewives' | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Family_Guy%27_returns_to_US_television,_loses_in_ratings_to_%27Housewives%27 |
Last week, Nature Genetics carried twin studies into the genetics of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. This special report examines the month's research into the illnesses in detail, with Wikinews obtaining comment from experts based in Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom ahead of the U.S. Mental Illness Awareness Week, which starts tomorrow.
Eleven genetic regions were identified; seven of these were for schizophrenia and five of those were hitherto undiscovered. The parallel studies, conducted separately, examined more than 50,000 people worldwide and identified two genetic loci associated with both diseases.
Little is known about the two illnesses, each of which affects around 1% of people and is treated with strong medication. Bipolar sufferers experience extremes of mood – depression and mania, hence the previous name “manic depression” for the illness. Schizophrenia is associated with hearing voices, chaotic thoughts, and paranoia. There is no known cure.
The latest research examined both the healthy and the afflicted, using computers to scan genomes. Inheritance was thought to be a factor from prior knowledge of the diseases as a familial trait, but the original desire had been to isolate a single faulty gene. Instead it has become apparent that the genetic factors are many; in the case of schizophrenia, at most around 30% of the genetic components are thought to have been identified.
—Rodney ScottThe University of Chicago’s Pablo Gejman, a lead researcher on the schizophrenia study, explained to Wikinews in a telephone interview from Buenos Aires, Argentina that “One of the goals of genetic research is to find druggable targets” – to “find treatments at the root of the problem”.
Whilst noting that there is no guarantee the genetic code identified is druggable, Gejman named calcium-activated neurochemical channels in the brain as candidates for new drugs. The channels were linked to schizophrenia in the study.
Gejman explained that a genetic locus called mir137 “suggests an abnormality of gene regulation.” The diseases are so poorly understood that it is uncertain if they are in fact two components of a single spectrum, or even each comprised of multiple illnesses.
The new and “provocative data” gathered showed the significant loci identified were “not part of the pre-existent hypothesis.” Calling this “interesting”, Gejman added that the team found no evidence that dopamine receptors are involved; current drug treatments target dopamine receptors. The findings are “not related to anything we thought we knew [about schizophrenia],” he told our correspondent.
Quizzed about the possibility variations in the genetic factors involved in expressing the diseases explained the variation seen in symptoms, Gejman was uncertain. “We will have the answer, probably, only when we sequence the whole [human] genome.” He notes that the relationship between genotype and phenotype is unclear, and that “We know very little of the genetic architecture of schizophrenia and” other disorders.
At the time the results were published, participating scientist Professor Rodney Scott from the University of Newcastle in Australia said “The strength of this research is in the numbers. The findings are robust and give us a lot of statistical power to identify the genetic determinants of schizophrenia.” Scott told Wikinews that “If any single centre tried to undertake such a study, it would require millions of pounds. Since it was a collection of data from across the world the costs were spread. In this era of financial difficulty it will become increasingly difficult to secure funding for this type of project even though the pay-offs will be significant.”
Gejman expressed similar sentiment. “The research budget is not growing, which makes [funding] difficult,” he said, though he felt the cost “is not prohibitive because of the benefits.” “I think that it was money well invested” and “very well spent for the future,” he said, adding that organisations in Europe and the US were aware of the importance of such research.
Gejman also agreed on reliability – the study is “Very reliable because of the sample size; that should provide robust results… [we] have worked with a much larger sample than before.” Scott told us it was “a highly reliable study” that has the potential to lead to new treatments “in the long run”.
Another point was the two genetic loci identified as common to both – how much support do they lend to the notion the diseases are linked? “Until more information is available it is really only suggestive,” says Scott. “Strong enough to say there may be potentially a common pathway that bifurcates to give rise to two diseases.”
—Suzanne Hudson, Chief Executive of MDF The Bipolar Organisation.“It is an excellent demonstration,” said Gejman “because you have the same chains that are common to both disorders, in fact not just the same chains but also the same alleles.” He stressed uncertainty in how strong the relationship was, however.
Scott said examining how the variation of genetic factors may translate into varied symptoms being expressed “certainly is a good target for future research”; “It is not known how many genetic factors contribute to either of these diseases but it is likely that not all are necessary to trigger disease.” “New questions will always arise from any major study,” he told our reporter. “Certainly, new questions about bipolar and schizophrenia are now able to be formulated on the basis of the results presented in the two reports.”
These weren’t the only studies to look at the two diseases together in September. The British Medical Journal carried research by a team from the University of Oxford and King's College London that examined mortality rates in England for schizophrenia and bipolar sufferers. They found both groups continued to suffer higher mortality rates than the general population – whilst these included suicides, three quarters of deaths were down to ailments such a s heart conditions. General death rates dropped from 1999 to 2006, but sufferers below 65 saw their death rate remain stable – and the over-65 saw theirs increase.
"By 2006, the excess risk in these groups had risk to twice the rate of the general population, whereas prior to that it had only been 1.6 times the risk, so it increased by almost 40%," said Dr Uy Hoang of Oxford. The study looked at every discharged inpatient with a diagnosis of either condition in England in the relevant time.
Hoang said at the time of the research’s release that doctors should devote attention to predicting and preventing physical illness associated with mental disorders. His study comes at a time when the UK has launched a "no health without mental health" strategy which does attempt to screen for physical illnesses coinciding with mental illnesses. The government aims to reduce the death rate of those with mental disorders.
Rodney Scott described this research result to Wikinews as “Possibly” connected to genetic association with other hereditary ailments, such as cardiovascular disease; he told us another possibility is that “The continued raised mortality rates may be associated with the diseases themselves.”
“We believe the NHS [National Health Service] and Department of Health need to do more to support research and service development for people with bipolar disorder,” Wikinews was told by Suzanne Hudson, Chief Executive of London-based British charity MDF The Bipolar Organisation. “The provision of specialist services for bipolar is very limited in the UK and the demand for our services is unprecedented.”
“A genetic test for bipolar would be a useful tool but the science and ethics are very complex,” Hudson told us, referring to the Nature Genetics genetic study. “Just because someone has 'bipolar genes' does not mean they might go on to develop it. Family studies of bipolar show that this is a likely outcome of genetics research in this area. Even if it were possible to accurately predict bipolar in this way, questions about how you treat that person are difficult. For example do you start medication that is not necessary at that point in time?”
“Current treatment is not satisfactory” because it does not always work and has “side effects,” Gejman told us. Robert Whitaker, a US medical journalist and book author, told an audience in New Zealand at the end of August that evidence suggests antidepressant drugs may make children and teenagers worse – “You see many become worse and end up with a more severe diagnosis, like bipolar illness," and the suicide risk may increase.
Whitaker blames commercial interests. "The adult market appeared saturated, and so they began eying children and teenagers. Prior to this, few children and youth were seen as suffering from major depression, and so few were prescribed anti-depressants."
One possible alternative, raised by a connection between depressive illness and inflammation, is aspirin and similar compounds. “The link between inflammation and mood disorders has been known for sometime and the use of aspirin and other drugs in depression is now becoming more common in the literature,” Hudson says. “Any new treatments for bipolar, which is a very complex and co-morbid illness, has to be a good thing.”
Professor Dr. Michael Berk, chairman of psychiatry at Australia’s Deakin University, recently gave a talk to just this effect. Speaking at this year’s Congress of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology, held this past month, he also highlighted statins as a treatment. Recognising the link to physical ailments, he told an interviewer "The brain does not exist in isolation, and we need to understand that pathways similar to those that underpin risks for cardiovascular disorders, stroke, and osteoporosis might also underpin the risk for psychiatric disorders, and that other treatments might be helpful."
Berk also touched upon speed of diagnosis and treatment; "Early interventions can potentially improve the outcome" of bipolar sufferers, he told his audience. MDF The Bipolar Organisation claim an average of ten years is possible before a person is diagnosed. “This clearly is an issue, if we believe that earlier diagnosis and treatment facilitate better outcomes,” Berk told Wikinews. Though he questions the effectiveness of currently-used drugs on advanced bipolar cases, he does not go so far as to say drugs are actively harmful. He told us “it appears that our best treatments work best earlier in the illness course; and that seems to apply to psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy.”
Berk has already performed research using statins which suggests they can form a treatment. He now seeks funding for research involving aspirin. On funding, he tells Wikinews “psychiatric disorders comprise between 16% and 22% of the burden of disability (depending on who measures it), attracts just over 6% of the clinical budget at least in Australia and 3% of the research budget. Research as a discretionary spending item is at great risk.”
Berk’s research, in the past, has been funded by companies including GlaxoSmithKline. Hudson told Wikinews this did not concern her charity; in fact, they welcomed it. “We believe it is important pharmaceutical companies continue to invest in the development of new medications for bipolar. This is how it works in all other health specialities and mental health should be no different.”
“There is a need for greater education for mental health professionals and GPs [general practitioners] about bipolar [in the UK],” she told us. “As the national bipolar charity we receive many, many calls and requests from GPs and other health professionals for our leaflets and information sheets which is fantastic. We very much welcome opportunities to work together for the benefit of individuals affected by bipolar.”
Wikinews contacted the UK’s National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) to discuss issues raised in this article, including future treatments, genetic screening, and mortality rates. NICE did not respond.
Might statins and/or aspirin improve treatment – might they be cheaper, perhaps, or safer? “This is an area of research promise,” says Berk, “however it is too early to make any clinical treatment claims; [all] we can say is that this needs to be studied in properly designed trials capable of giving a more definitive answer.” And what of possible explanations for the increased mortality rate observed in England? Should researchers look at whether bipolar influences more than just the brain, or if it is linked to other genetic conditions?
“For sure,” he told us. “There is new evidence that similar pathways contribute to the risk for both medical and psychiatric illness, both in terms of lifestyle factors, and biomarkers of risk.”
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Fascinating' and 'provocative' research examines genetic elements of bipolar, schizophrenia | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Fascinating%27_and_%27provocative%27_research_examines_genetic_elements_of_bipolar,_schizophrenia |
Musician Billy Preston, a so-called "fifth Beatle", died in Arizona at the age of 59 after a long illness.
A native of Houston, Texas, Preston played while in his teens with Mahalia Jackson, Little Richard and Ray Charles.
He later backed up the Beatles, playing keyboards on Let It Be, The White Album and Abbey Road. He also played on the hit Beatles single "Get Back."
As a soloist, Preston topped the record charts in the early 1970s with "Outta Space," "Will It Go Round in Circles," and "Nothing from Nothing."
He joined the Rolling Stones on tour and backed them up on "Can't You Hear Me Knocking" and "Heartbreaker."
He also wrote the Joe Cocker hit "You Are So Beautiful," and collaborated with Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, Quincy Jones, and Barbra Streisand.
He won two Grammys, including one for his involvement in the Concert for Bangladesh, staged by ex-Beatle George Harrison in 1971. Last year, in one of his final appearances, Preston performed in Los Angeles with former Beatle Ringo Starr and Harrison's son, Dhani.
Plagued by drug and alcohol abuse, Preston had scrapes with the law on narcotics and other charges. He suffered from chronic kidney failure, and had been in a coma since November.
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U.S. and Canada — With no new competition to speak of, last week's Hollywood fare is set to once again dominate North American Box office receipts over the New Year holiday.
Of the new films opening this weekend, Lions Gate's A Love Song for Bobby Long will have the widest release, playing in eight theatres in Los Angeles and New York. Other openers include ThinkFilm's The Assassination of Richard Nixon, starring Sean Penn and Sony Pictures Classics William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice with Al Pacino and Jeremy Irons, both of which will be playing in four venues in New York and Los Angeles.
To be considered in wide release, a film must open or play in at least 1,000 theatres throughout the U.S. and Canada. The lack of any new wide release competition Friday almost ensures that the last week's slate of films will benefit at the box office.
The most likely contender for top-money maker is Universal Studios' Meet the Fockers, the sequel to 200's Meet the Parents starring Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand. That movie raked in $44.7 million over the Christmas weekend and a total of #108.5 million as of Dec. 29, according to Box Office Mojo.
Fockers is being shown in 3,524 venues over the New Year weekend, six more than last week, making it the second-widest released film for the weekend. Only the Jim Carrey family comedy Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events with 3,623 venues has a wider release.
The following films will be playing in at least 1,000 U.S. and Canada venues:
Movie listings for the United States
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The 108-floor central component of the new World Trade Center in New York City has been officially renamed 1 World Trade Center, ending the Freedom Tower moniker it had sported since 2003.
Freedom Tower was envisioned as a symbol of America's victory over terrorism. It is currently on track for completion in 2013, with 10 floors partially finished so far.
Port Authority Chairman Anthony Coscia commented on the change, "It's the one that is easiest for people to identify with — and frankly, we've gotten a very interested and warm reception to it."
Former Governor George Pataki, who revealed the Freedom Tower name nearly six years ago, was critical of the switch, saying "The Freedom Tower is not simply another piece of real estate and not just a name for marketing purposes."
1 World Trade Center has been the building's legal name and address for the past two years, with the public change precipitated by the ramp up of construction and the commencement of lease marketing.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg seemed ambivalent to the change, saying "I would like to see it stay the Freedom Tower, but it's their building, and they don't need me dumping on it. If they could rent the whole thing by changing the name, I guess they're going to do that, and they probably, from a responsible point of view, should. From a patriotic point of view, is it going to make any difference?"
The change was approved following the signing of a two-decades-long lease by a Chinese real estate company, which plans to occupy floors 64 through 69. Other future tenants include the U.S. General Services Administration and the New York State Office of General Services.
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| 'Freedom Tower' renamed '1 World Trade Center' | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Freedom_Tower%27_renamed_%271_World_Trade_Center%27 |
The music video for "Gangnam Style", a song by South Korean artist Psy, has become the first YouTube video to surpass one billion views. The video, which was uploaded to the video sharing website on July 15, became the most viewed of all time last month after overtaking the music video for "Baby", a song by Canadian singer Justin Bieber, which was placed on YouTube two years ago.
—Park Jae-SangWith more than 6.1 million likes, Guinness World Records has recognised "Gangnam Style" as being the most liked YouTube video ever; it also has over 449,000 dislikes. 'officialpsy', the YouTube channel upon which the video was uploaded, now has in excess of 2.1 million subscribers and has achieved over 1.4 billion video views overall. According to Google, the company which owns YouTube, the video has attracted between seven and ten million daily views on average since being uploaded to the site.
Park Jae-Sang, the actual name of Psy, explained the meaning of the song in an August 2012 interview with CNN. "People who are actually from Gangnam never proclaim that they are — it's only the posers and wannabes that put on these airs and say that they are 'Gangnam Style' — so this song is actually poking fun at those kinds of people who are trying so hard to be something that they're not", he said. Despite its international popularity, in a separate interview with Reuters earlier in August, Park Jae-Sang said "Gangnam Style" — a satire of consumerist aspects of the Gangnam District of the South Korean capital of Seoul — "never targeted foreign countries. It was for local fans". He said his intention with the video "was to look uncool until the end. I achieved it."
"Gangnam Style" has inspired countless parody versions, prompting UK newspaper The Daily Telegraph to suggest it was "the most parodied video ever". Among the parody versions are one performed by inmates of the Philippines' Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center, one with students from Eton College in the United Kingdom, one from Chinese artist Ai Weiwei and one created in the approach to the 2012 United States presidential election called "Mitt Romney Style".
Numerous prominent figures have attempted to imitate the "Gangnam Style" dance — which involves crossing one's wrists over each other and motioning as if "you're riding an invisible horse in your lower body," Park Jae-Sang explained — including United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, US President Barack Obama and Google chairman Eric Schmidt.
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The music video for "Gangnam Style", a song by South Korean artist Psy, has become the most viewed YouTube video of all time. The video, which now has over 816 million views since being uploaded in July, became the most watched after overtaking the music video for "Baby", a song by Canadian singer Justin Bieber, which was placed on YouTube in 2010.
With approximately 5.4 million likes, "Gangnam Style" is the most liked YouTube video ever, as recognised by Guinness World Records. The video has averaged approximately six million daily views since its upload. Guinness World Records previously said about the video: "In years past it was unthinkable that something would be viewed a hundred million times, and now Gangnam Style has achieved more than twice this figure in just three months on YouTube." Should its daily view count average rate continue, "Gangnam Style" could potentially pass one billion views by the start of 2013.
"Gangnam Style" satirises consumerist aspects of the Gangnam District of Seoul, the South Korean capital. The music video has influenced numerous parody versions, including one called "Mitt Romney Style", which was created in the run-up to the 2012 United States presidential election.
Park Jae-Sang, Psy's actual name, said "Gangnam Style" "never targeted foreign countries. It was for local fans". He said his intention "was to look uncool" in the music video "until the end. I achieved it."
The song has reached number one on music charts in about 30 countries. Its popularity has extended as far as US President Barack Obama; and Ban Ki-moon, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, who can be seen performing one of the dance moves to the song in the video above.
Psy has now signed with The Island Def Jam Music Group, a record label representing such acts as Mariah Carey and Justin Bieber.
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According to reports, a train carrying containers of a gas, has been involved in a major incident near the Italian city of Viareggio at around midnight (local time). State television said the train derailed followed by an explosion.
According to the latest reports from Protezione Civile, at least 14 people have been killed, with another 50 injured. Up to 35 of those have suffered serious burns. Three children were among those killed.
WAtoday, stated that a street near the station in Viareggio, a coastal city of 50,000, was enveloped in flames. There are also reports of structural damage to buildings close to the incident, with two thought to have collapsed.
"The train was diverted and two of the carriages appear to have derailed," said journalist Nick Pisa to Sky News. "Along that side of the railway line there are houses and they caught the full effect of the blast."
The train carried liquefied petroleum gas in tank rail cars, owned by the Austrian subsidiary of GATX Corporation.
Penny Firth speaking to BBC News was quoted as saying "The explosion was terrifying. The whole sky turned orange and there was a huge mass of dense smoke, we could feel the heat intensify. It is just awful... the smell is horrible,"
The causes of the incident are under investigation, with an official inquiry already begun, although Italian rail unions, are already blaming outdated rolling stock, according to BBC News.
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Thirty-six years after he was found guilty of an armed robbery in London, a court has quashed the conviction of George Davis, ruling it unsafe. The court stopped short of ruling he was definitely innocent, leaving a prominent 1970s campaign that saw "George Davis is innocent - OK" graffiti daubed across the city only partially vindicated.
The case dates back to April 1974, when armed robbers raided the London Electricity Board. A police officer was wounded by a gunshot to the leg. Davis was one of four put on trial the following year, but only he was convicted following two policemen who witnessed the robbery. He received twenty years imprisonment for wounding and armed robbery.
By 1976 he was back out of prison with a Royal Pardon after doubts about his identification were raised by then-Home Secretary Roy Jenkins. The 1970s saw the slogan "George Davis is innocent - OK" written across bridges and buildings around the capital, some of which remains today. Support came from The Who frontman Roger Daltrey, who wore a t-shirt promoting his case, and punk band Sham 69 writing a song about it.
One incident saw a cricket pitch vandalised in 1975, leading to the abandonment of an Ashes Test match in its final day at Headingley. By 1977, however, Davis was back in prison and admitted a role in a different armed robbery, at a Bank of Cyprus branch.
"I have been protesting my innocence since 1974," Davis said yesterday. Lawyers have said evidence that should have overturned the 1975 conviction "had been in the hands of the authorities since 1977."
Following the conviction the case was reviewed by Detective Chief Superintendent Jack Moulder from Hertfordshire Police, who reported back to the Home Office in 1977. Journalist Andy McSmith, writing in The Independent, claims the result "was so damning that for 34 years the Home Office refused to let anyone, including Davis's lawyers, see it."
Moulder's report drew on evidence from Inspector Brian Reynolds, who began the investigation into the robbery before responsibility was passed to the specialist Robbery Squad. Reynolds had criticisms of the Robbery Squad, but said senior officers warned him not to obstruct Davis's conviction in any way. The Robbery Squad was being led by Jack Slipper, whose claim to fame is that he tracked down the Great Train Robbers.
The Criminal Cases Review Commission, which investigates alleged miscarriages of justice, collected evidence in the Davis case and referred it back to the Court of Appeal. 36 years ago, a young barrister called David Whitehouse defended Davis. Yesterday, Whitehouse's last day in court before retiring was in the Court of Appeal, hearing Davis's conviction overturned.
"If George Davis had not been so stupid as to rob a bank I might have got the conviction quashed [in the 70s]," he remarked outside court. Asked about being called stupid, Davis remarked "He can call me what he likes after [all] he's done for me."
The appeal was heard by a panel of three judges. Lord Justice Hughes said they were in a "state of ignorance whether or not the defendant committed this robbery and we are unable positively to exonerate him". "We do not know whether Davis was guilty or not, but his conviction cannot be said to be safe," Hughes concluded.
"I have pursued this appeal for all these years because I wanted all those people who worked for, and helped, the campaign in the 1970s to know that their support was justified," Davis said.
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The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) that started preliminary experiments on September 10, 2008 in CERN, Geneva, and the planned International Linear Collider (ILC) will carry out a series of experiments in the future to validate the standard model of particle physics. The model predicts that Higgs boson particles gives mass to all fundamental particles and explains the existence of dark matter, or invisible matter in between galaxies.
The LHC is a 27 kilometer long circular high energy particle accelerator which took more than 20 years and USD $9 billion to build. In the next few weeks the machine will collide opposing beams of protons charged with approximately 7 TeV of energy resulting in cataclysmic conditions that will mimic the beginning of time, a re-creation of the Big Bang.
An upgraded version of the LHC was announced, nicknamed the "super LHC". The new accelerator will perform ten times the number of collisions as the current LHC over the same time. The upgrade will feature a new injection system and enhanced detectors to cope with the increase in data packets from collisions.
The bigger International Linear Collider, nicknamed "Einstein's telescope", is planned by the International Technology Recommendation Panel (ITRP). The ILC will have a collision energy of 500 GeV and will collide electrons with particles of antimatter, called positrons, along a 30-40 km completely straight tunnel. The ILC's two giant "guns" pointing at each other would be able to accelerate electrons and positrons to near-light speeds before smashing them together.
"The LHC smashes protons together to discover new particles but also generates lots of debris that obscures the fine detail. The ILC would be a much cleaner machine and tell us far more about their real nature." says Brian Foster, professor of experimental physics at Oxford University and European director of the project. The host country for the ILC has not yet been chosen but it is planned to have the machine constructed by late 2010. The new machine will cost an estimated USD $7 billion to build. Physicists hope that ILC might be able to resolve some of the questions raised by Einstein's theories of relativity.
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| Large particle accelerators to explore the frontiers of physics | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27God_Machine%27_started_successfully;_end_of_the_world_theories_debunked |
The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) that started preliminary experiments on September 10, 2008 in CERN, Geneva, and the planned International Linear Collider (ILC) will carry out a series of experiments in the future to validate the standard model of particle physics. The model predicts that Higgs boson particles gives mass to all fundamental particles and explains the existence of dark matter, or invisible matter in between galaxies.
The LHC is a 27 kilometer long circular high energy particle accelerator which took more than 20 years and USD $9 billion to build. In the next few weeks the machine will collide opposing beams of protons charged with approximately 7 TeV of energy resulting in cataclysmic conditions that will mimic the beginning of time, a re-creation of the Big Bang.
An upgraded version of the LHC was announced, nicknamed the "super LHC". The new accelerator will perform ten times the number of collisions as the current LHC over the same time. The upgrade will feature a new injection system and enhanced detectors to cope with the increase in data packets from collisions.
The bigger International Linear Collider, nicknamed "Einstein's telescope", is planned by the International Technology Recommendation Panel (ITRP). The ILC will have a collision energy of 500 GeV and will collide electrons with particles of antimatter, called positrons, along a 30-40 km completely straight tunnel. The ILC's two giant "guns" pointing at each other would be able to accelerate electrons and positrons to near-light speeds before smashing them together.
"The LHC smashes protons together to discover new particles but also generates lots of debris that obscures the fine detail. The ILC would be a much cleaner machine and tell us far more about their real nature." says Brian Foster, professor of experimental physics at Oxford University and European director of the project. The host country for the ILC has not yet been chosen but it is planned to have the machine constructed by late 2010. The new machine will cost an estimated USD $7 billion to build. Physicists hope that ILC might be able to resolve some of the questions raised by Einstein's theories of relativity.
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| Large particle accelerators to explore the frontiers of physics | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27God_Machine%27_startup_did_not_cause_the_end_of_world |
NASA has stated that a three inch gouge has been found in the heat shield on one of Space Shuttle Endeavour's wings. The gouge was spotted as the shuttle approached the International Space Station (ISS) and captured on camera by ISS astronauts.
According to NASA, the gouge was found on a six-inch thick tile on the starboard wing of the heat shield and that it may have been caused by ice and not foam. NASA is worried because the hole appears to be deep.
"What does this mean? I don’t know at this point. There are three prongs to our assessment, first we will conduct a thermal analysis based on the damage, check the flight history and test the area. We would never take it lightly to send astronauts to the underside of the vehicle to do anything," said the mission management team chairman, John Shannon who also said that until the damage is inspected, "it's way too early to determine whether any repairs are required."
If the damage is found to be irreversible and cannot be fixed, the crew of Endeavour would stay on the ISS. NASA says that supplies would last until a rescue mission could be launched October 8 by sending up Discovery.
During lift off of Endeavour on August 8, cameras had shown moisture which had gathered on the camera's lens, but NASA states that the object which caused the damage was not caught on camera. At least nine pieces of debris were reported to have been filmed while the shuttle took off, but NASA says that only three of those pieces of debris had a possibility of hitting the shuttle.
Astronauts are expected to use a laser that is attached to the shuttle's robotic arm to measure the exact depth and size of the gouge on Sunday. The tile could be repaired by affixing a metal plate over the tile, filling it with putty, or sealing the gouge.
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NASA has stated that a three inch gouge has been found in the heat shield on one of Space Shuttle Endeavour's wings. The gouge was spotted as the shuttle approached the International Space Station (ISS) and captured on camera by ISS astronauts.
According to NASA, the gouge was found on a six-inch thick tile on the starboard wing of the heat shield and that it may have been caused by ice and not foam. NASA is worried because the hole appears to be deep.
"What does this mean? I don’t know at this point. There are three prongs to our assessment, first we will conduct a thermal analysis based on the damage, check the flight history and test the area. We would never take it lightly to send astronauts to the underside of the vehicle to do anything," said the mission management team chairman, John Shannon who also said that until the damage is inspected, "it's way too early to determine whether any repairs are required."
If the damage is found to be irreversible and cannot be fixed, the crew of Endeavour would stay on the ISS. NASA says that supplies would last until a rescue mission could be launched October 8 by sending up Discovery.
During lift off of Endeavour on August 8, cameras had shown moisture which had gathered on the camera's lens, but NASA states that the object which caused the damage was not caught on camera. At least nine pieces of debris were reported to have been filmed while the shuttle took off, but NASA says that only three of those pieces of debris had a possibility of hitting the shuttle.
Astronauts are expected to use a laser that is attached to the shuttle's robotic arm to measure the exact depth and size of the gouge on Sunday. The tile could be repaired by affixing a metal plate over the tile, filling it with putty, or sealing the gouge.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Gouge' found on wing of Space Shuttle Endeavour | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Gouge%27_found_on_wing_of_Space_Shuttle_Endeavour |
If recent trends are to portend the future, late Roman Catholic pontiff John Paul II may be known to posterity as "John Paul the Great."
A growing portion of Catholics, and even senior clergy, have begun to use the title, which has been held previously by only three out of history's 264 popes.
Pope Gregory I of the sixth century, Leo I of the fifth century, and Nicholas I of the ninth century up to now, have alone been acclaimed "Great" in church tradition.
Cardinal Egan of New York, Cardinal O'Brien of Edinburgh (Scotland), Dublin's Archbishop Martin, and Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor of Westminster — the highest Catholic clergyman in England and Wales — have been among those reported to have used the honorific for John Paul II.
Historian Robert Louis Wilken, writing in Catholic periodical Commonweal in 2003, "Greatness is as mysterious as it is elusive," alluding to the ambiguity of the criteria used in applying the title.
For instance, some figures — such as theologian St. Thomas Aquinas or the apostle Peter, the first pope — despite their wide influence in church history, have not been granted the honorific by historians or Catholic tradition, while others relatively unknown today were indeed accorded it.
Newspapers in Italy, the United States, and throughout the globe have featured the acclamation "Great" for the deceased pontiff. Catholic-oriented websites and online forums, as well, abound with the title.
The Holy See's official paper, L’Osservatore Romano, also echoed the "Great" appellation.
Moreover, a Vatican homily text for Sunday, 3 April, contained a reference to the title. Though the honorific was ultimately not used during the homily's delivery by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Cardinal Secretary of State until John Paul II's death, it is maintained that Vatican documents can be considered official even when not read aloud.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Great' title for John Paul? | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Great%27_title_for_John_Paul%3F |
The Civic Parade of Pichilemu took place on Saturday morning, in Daniel Ortúzar Avenue. The event was attended by around 9,000 people. It started with an exhibition of cueca, the Chilean national dance, by winners of communal and regional Cueca championships.
All the schools from urban Pichilemu and its rural villages participated in the parade, including La Aguada School, Espinillo Basic School, Cáhuil School, Charly's School, Colegio Preciosa Sangre, Agustín Ross High School, Digna Camilo Aguilar School, and others. Neighborhood councils (such as Infiernillo, presided by Mauricio Vargas), elderly clubs, sport clubs (such as Arturo Prat and Independiente), the Public Safety Agency and the Fire Bureau also participated. The Parade music was performed by Banda Instrumental Pichilemina (Pichileminian Instrumental Band).
The parade is part of celebrations marking two hundred years since Chile began the Independence process, that ended in 1818 after Bernardo O'Higgins proclaimed it.
"This parade shows the power that the Pichileminian people has to stand again [after the February 27 earthquake]," Mayor of Pichilemu Roberto Córdova said. "It is the greatest parade in the History of Pichilemu," he added.
The event was broadcast by the local radio stations Entre Olas, Atardecer and Somos Pichilemu. Jorge Vargas González, owner of Radio Somos Pichilemu and former Mayor of the city also attended the event, along with his wife Andrea Aranda, current Councillor.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Greatest parade' in Pichilemu commemorates First Junta of Chile | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Greatest_parade%27_in_Pichilemu_commemorates_First_Junta_of_Chile |
The Australian Government is currently building a "Guantanamo-style detention facility" - a $210 million, 800-bed Immigration Reception and Processing Centre - on Christmas Island, 1400km off Australia's northwest coast. The project has residents concerned about the prospect of having imprisoned detainees and possible terrorism suspects as neighbours.
Christmas Islanders fear the remote detention facility will be Australia's very own "Guantanamo Bay."
The island's Shire President, Gordon Thompson, says residents are also worried about the effects the controversial detention centre development will have on the island's tourism industry. "We're not building tourism based on a prison tour," he said, also voicing fears that residents would be barred from areas on the northwest point of the island. He said locals were confused and did not know if the centre would just be used for refugees or as a Guantanamo-style prison. Another resident complained that access to popular fishing and snorkelling spots on the island would be limited.
Department of Immigration (DIMIA) said that when construction of the Christmas Island facility was finished, a review was likely to be taken to close some mainland detention centres such as Baxter in South Australia. "Its (Christmas Island) only use is as an immigration reception and processing centre," said a DIMIA spokesperson.
Mr Thompson, who is opposed to the imprisonment of refugees, said the centre was being built on the island in an effort to avoid public scrutiny from mainland Australians. "It's a long way from the mainland where the lawyers and trouble-makers are," he said. "We'll be kept away from it."
A resident of eight years, two as shire president, Mr Thompson said he did not trust the federal Government because it ignored the concerns of the 1500-strong community. "There's a sense the Commonwealth will do what it wants," he said. "You've got to be a little suspicious of a government that lets its own people be held in Guantanamo Bay, like David Hicks. People here have that feeling that when something big is being built away from the media - it's not fishy, it's smelly."
Mr Thomson said the Shire council were not notified when the current Christmas Island detention centre reopened last week to detain seven West Timorese asylum seekers.
Azmi Yon, president of the island's Malay association, has lived for 37 years on the island and wants the federal Government to leave it alone. He said locals were confused and did not know if the new centre would just be used for refugees or as a Guantanamo-style prison. "We need something from them in black and white to say what it is," he said. "Tell us something, don't keep us in the dark."
Mr Yon said the island was home to a harmonious group of Chinese, Malays and Europeans who respected each other's cultures. "Why disturb an isolated and unique environment when you can (build the centre) somewhere else?" he said.
Mothballed Detention Centre Reopened
A group of seven asylum seekers were transported by DIMIA to Christmas Island last week. One detainee, his wife and infant children have been allowed to live in the community under new detainment laws. However, three other asylum seekers remain the sole inhabitants of the current Christmas Island detention centre - reopened for the seven from Indonesian West Timor on November 17.
Refugee advocates, Democrats and Greens senators said the recent West Timorese asylum seekers had been "shunted" to the remote facility at a massive cost, raising more doubts about the Howard Government's promise not to detain children.
Democrats senator Andrew Bartlett, who visited a previous group of 52 Vietnamese asylum seekers in December last year, said he was especially alarmed to learn that children were still being detained despite the Government's promise that children would only be detained as a last resort.
"We want to know exactly what the cost has been to unnecessarily fly these people over to Christmas Island and why, seeing that they managed to arrive within the accepted migration zone and should be processed here," Senator Bartlett said. "The only possible reason this family has been transferred to such a remote location is the very deliberate intention of the Government to deny these people proper processing of their claims and to prevent them from accessing adequate legal and other support. It is also assists the Government to keep the family away from media attention or public scrutiny."
Australian Greens Senator Kerry Nettle says the Government should suspend the construction of the Christmas Island detention centre and review the necessity of the facility. "At a time when the Government claims to be reforming its immigration detention system, it is increasing its capacity to lock people up," Senator Nettle said. "After the recent scandals and abuses, the public want alternatives to detention, but the Government insists on building more empty prisons."
According to Immigration Department figures provided at the November 2005 Senate Estimates:
* The current immigration detention centres - Baxter, Villawood, Maribyrnong, Perth, Port Augusta and the existing Christmas Island facility, already have a capacity to hold 1,688 people and they have contingency places for 667 more people, bringing the total capacity to 2,355.
*Port Hedland has a capacity to hold 820 people and is costing $3 million a year to be ready to reopen.
*The infamous Woomera Detention Centre holds 800 and costs $2.6 million to keep mothballed.
Senator Nettle said: "Australia's total immigration detention capacity is already 3,975 people. The locals on Christmas Island are opposed to this facility, yet the Government is wasting $210 million on another empty prison. Is the government planning to increase the number of people in detention and deport people from the mainland to Christmas Island?"
Environmental Concerns
There has also been environmental concerns about the development. The detention centre site is adjacent to prime "Abbotts booby" habitat, in the north-west corner of the island, and is surrounded by the Christmas Island National Park.
Endangered Abbott's Boobies nest in tall rainforest trees immediately to the north, south and south-east of the site, and their proximity puts the species at the mercy of turbulence generated by the passage of wind across the clearing.
The National Park encloses the entire range of at least 35 endemic species, more than any other Australian protected area. It is part of the network of habitats of migratory species that Australia must protect under international agreements such as the Japan-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (JAMBA) and the China-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (CAMBA).
The Wilderness Society have said, "There are several serious environmental concerns with the selection of this site, not least of which was the selection process itself, the Howard government's self-exemption from environmental scrutiny normally required under the EPBC Act, and its commitment to best practice environmental measures during construction of the detention centre."
Research has shown that Abbott's Boobies nesting within 300 m of clearings experience significantly lower breeding success than birds nesting further away. At last count, 36% of breeding sites across the island were located within this 300 m danger zone.
The centre, under construction since January this year, is not due to be operational until late 2006.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Guantanamo'-style detention facility under construction on Australian Island | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Guantanamo%27-style_detention_facility_under_construction_on_Australian_Island |
The Australian Government is currently building a "Guantanamo-style detention facility" - a $210 million, 800-bed Immigration Reception and Processing Centre - on Christmas Island, 1400km off Australia's northwest coast. The project has residents concerned about the prospect of having imprisoned detainees and possible terrorism suspects as neighbours.
Christmas Islanders fear the remote detention facility will be Australia's very own "Guantanamo Bay."
The island's Shire President, Gordon Thompson, says residents are also worried about the effects the controversial detention centre development will have on the island's tourism industry. "We're not building tourism based on a prison tour," he said, also voicing fears that residents would be barred from areas on the northwest point of the island. He said locals were confused and did not know if the centre would just be used for refugees or as a Guantanamo-style prison. Another resident complained that access to popular fishing and snorkelling spots on the island would be limited.
Department of Immigration (DIMIA) said that when construction of the Christmas Island facility was finished, a review was likely to be taken to close some mainland detention centres such as Baxter in South Australia. "Its (Christmas Island) only use is as an immigration reception and processing centre," said a DIMIA spokesperson.
Mr Thompson, who is opposed to the imprisonment of refugees, said the centre was being built on the island in an effort to avoid public scrutiny from mainland Australians. "It's a long way from the mainland where the lawyers and trouble-makers are," he said. "We'll be kept away from it."
A resident of eight years, two as shire president, Mr Thompson said he did not trust the federal Government because it ignored the concerns of the 1500-strong community. "There's a sense the Commonwealth will do what it wants," he said. "You've got to be a little suspicious of a government that lets its own people be held in Guantanamo Bay, like David Hicks. People here have that feeling that when something big is being built away from the media - it's not fishy, it's smelly."
Mr Thomson said the Shire council were not notified when the current Christmas Island detention centre reopened last week to detain seven West Timorese asylum seekers.
Azmi Yon, president of the island's Malay association, has lived for 37 years on the island and wants the federal Government to leave it alone. He said locals were confused and did not know if the new centre would just be used for refugees or as a Guantanamo-style prison. "We need something from them in black and white to say what it is," he said. "Tell us something, don't keep us in the dark."
Mr Yon said the island was home to a harmonious group of Chinese, Malays and Europeans who respected each other's cultures. "Why disturb an isolated and unique environment when you can (build the centre) somewhere else?" he said.
Mothballed Detention Centre Reopened
A group of seven asylum seekers were transported by DIMIA to Christmas Island last week. One detainee, his wife and infant children have been allowed to live in the community under new detainment laws. However, three other asylum seekers remain the sole inhabitants of the current Christmas Island detention centre - reopened for the seven from Indonesian West Timor on November 17.
Refugee advocates, Democrats and Greens senators said the recent West Timorese asylum seekers had been "shunted" to the remote facility at a massive cost, raising more doubts about the Howard Government's promise not to detain children.
Democrats senator Andrew Bartlett, who visited a previous group of 52 Vietnamese asylum seekers in December last year, said he was especially alarmed to learn that children were still being detained despite the Government's promise that children would only be detained as a last resort.
"We want to know exactly what the cost has been to unnecessarily fly these people over to Christmas Island and why, seeing that they managed to arrive within the accepted migration zone and should be processed here," Senator Bartlett said. "The only possible reason this family has been transferred to such a remote location is the very deliberate intention of the Government to deny these people proper processing of their claims and to prevent them from accessing adequate legal and other support. It is also assists the Government to keep the family away from media attention or public scrutiny."
Australian Greens Senator Kerry Nettle says the Government should suspend the construction of the Christmas Island detention centre and review the necessity of the facility. "At a time when the Government claims to be reforming its immigration detention system, it is increasing its capacity to lock people up," Senator Nettle said. "After the recent scandals and abuses, the public want alternatives to detention, but the Government insists on building more empty prisons."
According to Immigration Department figures provided at the November 2005 Senate Estimates:
* The current immigration detention centres - Baxter, Villawood, Maribyrnong, Perth, Port Augusta and the existing Christmas Island facility, already have a capacity to hold 1,688 people and they have contingency places for 667 more people, bringing the total capacity to 2,355.
*Port Hedland has a capacity to hold 820 people and is costing $3 million a year to be ready to reopen.
*The infamous Woomera Detention Centre holds 800 and costs $2.6 million to keep mothballed.
Senator Nettle said: "Australia's total immigration detention capacity is already 3,975 people. The locals on Christmas Island are opposed to this facility, yet the Government is wasting $210 million on another empty prison. Is the government planning to increase the number of people in detention and deport people from the mainland to Christmas Island?"
Environmental Concerns
There has also been environmental concerns about the development. The detention centre site is adjacent to prime "Abbotts booby" habitat, in the north-west corner of the island, and is surrounded by the Christmas Island National Park.
Endangered Abbott's Boobies nest in tall rainforest trees immediately to the north, south and south-east of the site, and their proximity puts the species at the mercy of turbulence generated by the passage of wind across the clearing.
The National Park encloses the entire range of at least 35 endemic species, more than any other Australian protected area. It is part of the network of habitats of migratory species that Australia must protect under international agreements such as the Japan-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (JAMBA) and the China-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (CAMBA).
The Wilderness Society have said, "There are several serious environmental concerns with the selection of this site, not least of which was the selection process itself, the Howard government's self-exemption from environmental scrutiny normally required under the EPBC Act, and its commitment to best practice environmental measures during construction of the detention centre."
Research has shown that Abbott's Boobies nesting within 300 m of clearings experience significantly lower breeding success than birds nesting further away. At last count, 36% of breeding sites across the island were located within this 300 m danger zone.
The centre, under construction since January this year, is not due to be operational until late 2006.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Guantanamo'-style detention facility under construction on Australian Island | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Guantanamo%27_under_construction_on_Australian_Island |
The seemingly eternal flame of the American soap opera Guiding Light has been extinguished. CBS, the network which airs the serial drama in the United States, has announced its cancellation after 72 years.
Guiding Light, which entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running dramatic series in the world, started on radio in 1937 as a series of stories about faith, in which characters beset with troubles would talk to trusted Reverend Ruthledge, the keeper of "the guiding light" which shone from his window. Over the years, the theme of "the guiding light" became more muted and the series shifted focus to a middle-class German immigrant family, the Bauers. The show has been produced on television and seen nearly every weekday since June 30, 1952.
Popular with television viewers in the 1950s and 1960s, Guiding Light fell on hard times, becoming the lowest-rated soap opera on American television in 2007. In an effort to save costs last year, Procter & Gamble Productions, the company formerly in charge of production, instituted cost-saving measures which included scrapping more expensive set designs and getting rid of the industry standard three-camera taping technique, replacing them with portable cameras.
The cancellation comes in part due to the economic downturn and partly due to viewing habits among women. Many women in the target demographic Guiding Light hoped to court are now working during the afternoon, something that wasn't as prevalent even a generation ago. TeleNext Media, the current production company, while parting ways with CBS, are not ruling out a cost-effective way to keep the show afloat either as an online venture or on another television channel.
When contacted by Wikinews, Guiding Light publicist Meredith Tiger forwarded a statement prepared by Barbara Bloom, Senior Vice President of Daytime Programs at CBS. "No show in daytime or prime time, or anytime, has touched so many millions of viewers across so many years as Guiding Light," Bloom said. "We thank the cast, crew and producers – past and present – who delivered this entertainment institution, the beloved characters and the time-honored stories to our audience every day for seven decades. It's been a privilege to work with such an extraordinarily talented group of people."
The final episode of Guiding Light is expected to air on Friday, September 18.
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| 'Guiding Light' to flicker out after 72 years on radio, TV | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Guiding_Light%27_to_flicker_out_after_72_years_on_radio,_TV |
An event attended by thousands of people, called "Handkerchiefs in the air" (Spanish: Pañuelos al Aire), took place on Monday morning at Pichilemu, in Daniel Ortúzar Avenue. The event was organized by Loreto Puebla, former Governor of {{w|Cardenal Caro Province||, coordinated with Mayor of Pichilemu Roberto Córdova Carreño.
Fernando Urzúa, who also works as newsreader on a local radio, conducted the event. The event was broadcasted by Radio Somos Pichilemu (We Are Pichilemu), owned by former Mayor Jorge Vargas González, who also attended the event.
The event started by giving handkerchiefs with the logo pictured at the left to all the attendants, at around 11:40 local time (15:40 UTC). Then, they proceeded to take the official photograph, which will be officially published on the website of the Municipality of Pichilemu on Tuesday.
Urzúa, and two Pichileminian folk music groups played several cuecas, Chile's national dance, and people were invited to dance. The event ended with the Mayor Córdova giving diplomas and Chilean wine bottles to large families who were dancing, a group of elderly from Recoleta and two policemen of Pichilemu. The parish priest of Pichilemu said that "the celebrations were quite stupendous" and that "Pichilemu is an example of unity of the people."
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Handkerchiefs in the air': Bicentennial celebrations in Pichilemu, Chile | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Handkerchiefs_in_the_air%27:_Bicentennial_celebrations_in_Pichilemu,_Chile |
In the United Kingdom, the BBC has received in excess of twenty-one thousand complaints after Jeremy Clarkson, the presenter of BBC television programme Top Gear, made an appearance on the live BBC programme The One Show and made comments about the UK public sector workers on strike, which British trade union UNISON subsequently called "appalling". The BBC and Jeremy Clarkson both apologised after the comments were made. During the programme, Clarkson commented on how the strikes on Wednesday were "fantastic" as they had left the British capital London "empty". It was "like being back in the 70s", according to Clarkson. He went on to caution that "we have to balance this though, because this is the BBC" before saying of the striking public sector workers: "Frankly, I'd have them all shot. I would take them outside and execute them in front of their families. I mean, how dare they go on strike when they have these gilt-edged pensions that are going to be guaranteed while the rest of us have to work for a living?" Immediately after the remarks were made, The One Show presenters clarified that these comments was personal opinion, to which Clarkson replied: "They're not. I've just given two views for you." Presenter Matt Baker apologised about the comments before the end of the broadcast.
In the aftermath of the broadcast, by yesterday morning BBC Audience Services were contacted in relation to the matter 21,954 times, with 619 comments and 21,335 complaints amongst them. Clarkson was supported in 314 messages. A spokesperson for the BBC confirmed that the The One Show episode would not be made available to view on BBC iPlayer, the BBC's on-demand service, because the episode generated so many complaints.
The British prime minister described the comments as "silly", while saying he was certain that Clarkson "didn't mean it". According to The Guardian, Clarkson had reportedly spoken with the production team before the live broadcast about using strike-related humor.
Thursday, the BBC apologised for the comments, as "the item was not perfectly judged", the corporation admitted. In a statement the same day, Clarkson said: "I didn't for a moment intend these remarks to be taken seriously – as I believe is clear if they're seen in context. If the BBC and I have caused any offence, I'm quite happy to apologise for it alongside them." The presenter also clarified to British newspaper the Daily Mirror: "I expressed two different views. Which one do I apologise for? I am just making fun of the BBC's need to be impartial. Not about strikers. I wasn't saying that strikers should be shot."
UNISON, a trade union in the United Kingdom, called the comments "appalling" and initially wished for the BBC to remove Clarkson from his position. Karen Jennings, the deputy general secretary of the UNISON, subsequently told the BBC that the trade union "accepted the apology" before going on to say: "He's recognised that he went too far in saying what he said and what we're doing now is extending our hand to him to come and work with a healthcare assistant to see just how they work and the healthcare they deliver. I think he would enjoy that."
2011 UK public sector strikes on Wikipedia.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Have them all shot': BBC gets 21,000+ complaints over Jeremy Clarkson's public sector striker comments | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Have_them_all_shot%27:_BBC_gets_21,000%2B_complaints_over_Jeremy_Clarkson%27s_public_sector_striker_comments |
In the United Kingdom, the BBC has received in excess of twenty-one thousand complaints after Jeremy Clarkson, the presenter of BBC television programme Top Gear, made an appearance on the live BBC programme The One Show and made comments about the UK public sector workers on strike, which British trade union UNISON subsequently called "appalling". The BBC and Jeremy Clarkson both apologised after the comments were made. During the programme, Clarkson commented on how the strikes on Wednesday were "fantastic" as they had left the British capital London "empty". It was "like being back in the 70s", according to Clarkson. He went on to caution that "we have to balance this though, because this is the BBC" before saying of the striking public sector workers: "Frankly, I'd have them all shot. I would take them outside and execute them in front of their families. I mean, how dare they go on strike when they have these gilt-edged pensions that are going to be guaranteed while the rest of us have to work for a living?" Immediately after the remarks were made, The One Show presenters clarified that these comments was personal opinion, to which Clarkson replied: "They're not. I've just given two views for you." Presenter Matt Baker apologised about the comments before the end of the broadcast.
In the aftermath of the broadcast, by yesterday morning BBC Audience Services were contacted in relation to the matter 21,954 times, with 619 comments and 21,335 complaints amongst them. Clarkson was supported in 314 messages. A spokesperson for the BBC confirmed that the The One Show episode would not be made available to view on BBC iPlayer, the BBC's on-demand service, because the episode generated so many complaints.
The British prime minister described the comments as "silly", while saying he was certain that Clarkson "didn't mean it". According to The Guardian, Clarkson had reportedly spoken with the production team before the live broadcast about using strike-related humor.
Thursday, the BBC apologised for the comments, as "the item was not perfectly judged", the corporation admitted. In a statement the same day, Clarkson said: "I didn't for a moment intend these remarks to be taken seriously – as I believe is clear if they're seen in context. If the BBC and I have caused any offence, I'm quite happy to apologise for it alongside them." The presenter also clarified to British newspaper the Daily Mirror: "I expressed two different views. Which one do I apologise for? I am just making fun of the BBC's need to be impartial. Not about strikers. I wasn't saying that strikers should be shot."
UNISON, a trade union in the United Kingdom, called the comments "appalling" and initially wished for the BBC to remove Clarkson from his position. Karen Jennings, the deputy general secretary of the UNISON, subsequently told the BBC that the trade union "accepted the apology" before going on to say: "He's recognised that he went too far in saying what he said and what we're doing now is extending our hand to him to come and work with a healthcare assistant to see just how they work and the healthcare they deliver. I think he would enjoy that."
2011 UK public sector strikes on Wikipedia.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Have them all shot': BBC gets 21,000+ complaints over Jeremy Clarkson's public sector striker comments | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Have_them_all_shot%27:_BBC_receives_more_than_21,000_complaints_over_Jeremy_Clarkson_comments_on_public_sector_strikers |
The Huffington Post reported Friday that U.S. presidential candidate Buddy Roemer received a $25 campaign donation from an individual listed as 'Homer Simpson'; the same name as the main character of the long running animated television series The Simpsons. Along with the name, the donor also shares the cartoon character's place of residence and employment. He claims to live at 742 Evergreen Terrace, and to work as Safety Inspector at Springfield Nuclear Power Plant.
The Huff Post discovered the July 31 donation while analyzing Roemer's Federal Election Commission records. After being notified, Roemer's campaign manager, Carlos Sierra, responded "Oh my God. That is too funny". He added that the campaign uses "one of the best accountants in the business," and that he would personally find out who actually made the donation. Sierra noted that "we do not accept anonymous donations".
Roemer, who previously served as a member of the House of Representatives (1981–1988) and Governor of Louisiana (1988–1992), has been running for the Republican Party's presidential nomination since earlier this year. However, he has failed to receive invitations to any presidential debates.
Roemer, who recently expressed his support for the Occupy Wall Street protests, has focused his campaign on finance reform, and has limited individual contributions to $100. In the third quarter of 2011, he raised $138,000.
Wikinews contacted Carlos Sierra yesterday for an update on the matter. He explained, "I reached out to the individual and he was very apologetic. I have the correct information now and will turn it over to our compliance officer."
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Homer Simpson' contributes to U.S. presidential candidate Buddy Roemer | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Homer_Simpson%27_contributes_to_U.S._presidential_candidate_Buddy_Roemer |
Following the ousting of Thailand's Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra from power, those seeking to peacefully protest the imposition of a military junta in the country on May 22 have adopted a gesture found in The Hunger Games book and film series, curling the little finger and thumb into the palm and raising the three middle fingers in the air. Use of the gesture as a form of protest began last weekend in Bangkok, the capital of the country.
This form of protest has drawn the attention of Thailand's military junta, the National Council for Peace and Order, who announced its intent on Tuesday to arrest protestors who display the gesture, in violation of orders to stop. Speaking on behalf of the junta, Colonel Weerachon Sukhondhapatipak said to the Associated Press, "At this point we are monitoring the movement. If it is an obvious form of resistance, then we have to control it so it doesn't cause any disorder in the country." In a comment to the Bangkok Post, Thai army Colonel Winthai Suwaree shared a similar sentiment: "[The junta] must look at [the protester's] intention, what they want to communicate and surrounding circumstances".
Following the ousting of Thailand's elected government in reportedly the fourteenth coup experienced by the country since the adoption of constitutional monarchy in 1932, the country remains affected by a curfew spanning midnight to 4am, with only Phuket, Koh Samui and Pattaya exempted, as they are beach resorts frequented by tourists, a group for whom the junta made the move in a bid to avoid adverse effects to the country's tourist industry.
Nonetheless, in the wake of the coup, the United States Department of State (DoS) advised "U.S. citizens reconsider any non-essential travel to Thailand, particularly Bangkok". The DoS also informed US citizens to stay away from groups of protestors, citing that "even demonstrations that are meant to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence." Other restrictions placed on citizens by the junta include internet censorship and restrictions on television broadcasts. Also banned were assemblies of five or more people with political intent.
Solitary displays of the gesture was among a few forms of protest utilized by the Thai people in Bangkok on Sunday, amid the placement of almost 6000 soldiers and police officers by the junta in an effort to suppress protests. Other displays of defiance included protestors banding together in flash mobs or peacefully walking through the central shopping district donning masks in an attempt to bypass security forces stationed there.
The gesture finds its origins in The Hunger Games series, where it was a sign of thanks, admiration, and farewell to a loved one, later gaining significance, in the second book Catching Fire, as a symbol of rebellion against the totalitarian government of Panem. Protesters, however, have found their own ways of deriving meaning behind the gesture, with some reportedly interpreting it as standing for liberté, égalité, fraternité, values popularized by the French Revolution.
A purported alternative interpretation by protesters held the gesture stood for freedom, election, and democracy. Still others have created a photo montage of the gesture with a picture from the source movie, which circulated online, with the caption "1. No Coup, 2. Liberty, 3. Democracy" written on the three extended fingers. Manik Sethisuwan has taken to Twitter with this message: "Dear #HungerGames. We've taken your sign as our own. Our struggle is non-fiction. Thanks."
Sombat Boonngam-anong, a social activist who has made efforts to rally the Thai people in continued protest, offered his own interpretation of the gesture on Facebook. "Raising three fingers has become a symbol in calling for fundamental political rights". Sombat belongs to the "Red Shirts", a protest group which has supported Shinawatra's government and the earlier government of Thaksin Shinawatra, her brother, and conducted protests amid prosecution by the junta. Sombat advocated a form of silent protest, raising of their right arms, "3 fingers, 3 times a day" for 30 seconds at 9 a.m., 1 p.m., and 5 p.m., in public locations where police officers and the military are absent. "Let's escalate the anti-coup movement three times a day together," said Sombat.
Weerachon expressed awareness of the gesture's origins, stating "We know it comes from the movie, and let's say it represents resistance against the authorities. [...] If a single individual raises three fingers in the air, we are not going to arrest him or her. But if it is a political gathering of five people or more, then we will have to take some action. If it persists, then we will have to make an arrest." On Sunday, protestors were reportedly detained for that reason.
The decision to criminalize displays of the gesture have drawn the criticism of Human Rights Watch, stating it expresses "a mindset that views human rights with disdain, and sees youthful defiance as the enemy." Human Rights Watch's Asia director, Brad Adams, remarked: "The Thai military's assault on basic human rights has apparently grown to not only target peaceful protesters but now also silent ones as well — since now just holding up an arm with a three-finger salute is enough to earn the junta's ire".
The National Council for Peace and Order has stated it imposed military rule over the country due to political deadlock resulting from demonstrations spanning seven months, which occasionally erupted into violence. Last year, on the volatile political situation in Thailand, scholar Nicholas Farrelly wrote in the Australian Journal of International Affairs: "Each year, Thailand tends to experience at least one period of frenzied coup speculation. Coups clearly still play a major role in Thai mainstream politics."
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Hunger Games' salute used to protest coup d'état in Thailand | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Hunger_Games%27_salute_used_to_protest_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat_in_Thailand |
Following the ousting of Thailand's Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra from power, those seeking to peacefully protest the imposition of a military junta in the country on May 22 have adopted a gesture found in The Hunger Games book and film series, curling the little finger and thumb into the palm and raising the three middle fingers in the air. Use of the gesture as a form of protest began last weekend in Bangkok, the capital of the country.
This form of protest has drawn the attention of Thailand's military junta, the National Council for Peace and Order, who announced its intent on Tuesday to arrest protestors who display the gesture, in violation of orders to stop. Speaking on behalf of the junta, Colonel Weerachon Sukhondhapatipak said to the Associated Press, "At this point we are monitoring the movement. If it is an obvious form of resistance, then we have to control it so it doesn't cause any disorder in the country." In a comment to the Bangkok Post, Thai army Colonel Winthai Suwaree shared a similar sentiment: "[The junta] must look at [the protester's] intention, what they want to communicate and surrounding circumstances".
Following the ousting of Thailand's elected government in reportedly the fourteenth coup experienced by the country since the adoption of constitutional monarchy in 1932, the country remains affected by a curfew spanning midnight to 4am, with only Phuket, Koh Samui and Pattaya exempted, as they are beach resorts frequented by tourists, a group for whom the junta made the move in a bid to avoid adverse effects to the country's tourist industry.
Nonetheless, in the wake of the coup, the United States Department of State (DoS) advised "U.S. citizens reconsider any non-essential travel to Thailand, particularly Bangkok". The DoS also informed US citizens to stay away from groups of protestors, citing that "even demonstrations that are meant to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence." Other restrictions placed on citizens by the junta include internet censorship and restrictions on television broadcasts. Also banned were assemblies of five or more people with political intent.
Solitary displays of the gesture was among a few forms of protest utilized by the Thai people in Bangkok on Sunday, amid the placement of almost 6000 soldiers and police officers by the junta in an effort to suppress protests. Other displays of defiance included protestors banding together in flash mobs or peacefully walking through the central shopping district donning masks in an attempt to bypass security forces stationed there.
The gesture finds its origins in The Hunger Games series, where it was a sign of thanks, admiration, and farewell to a loved one, later gaining significance, in the second book Catching Fire, as a symbol of rebellion against the totalitarian government of Panem. Protesters, however, have found their own ways of deriving meaning behind the gesture, with some reportedly interpreting it as standing for liberté, égalité, fraternité, values popularized by the French Revolution.
A purported alternative interpretation by protesters held the gesture stood for freedom, election, and democracy. Still others have created a photo montage of the gesture with a picture from the source movie, which circulated online, with the caption "1. No Coup, 2. Liberty, 3. Democracy" written on the three extended fingers. Manik Sethisuwan has taken to Twitter with this message: "Dear #HungerGames. We've taken your sign as our own. Our struggle is non-fiction. Thanks."
Sombat Boonngam-anong, a social activist who has made efforts to rally the Thai people in continued protest, offered his own interpretation of the gesture on Facebook. "Raising three fingers has become a symbol in calling for fundamental political rights". Sombat belongs to the "Red Shirts", a protest group which has supported Shinawatra's government and the earlier government of Thaksin Shinawatra, her brother, and conducted protests amid prosecution by the junta. Sombat advocated a form of silent protest, raising of their right arms, "3 fingers, 3 times a day" for 30 seconds at 9 a.m., 1 p.m., and 5 p.m., in public locations where police officers and the military are absent. "Let's escalate the anti-coup movement three times a day together," said Sombat.
Weerachon expressed awareness of the gesture's origins, stating "We know it comes from the movie, and let's say it represents resistance against the authorities. [...] If a single individual raises three fingers in the air, we are not going to arrest him or her. But if it is a political gathering of five people or more, then we will have to take some action. If it persists, then we will have to make an arrest." On Sunday, protestors were reportedly detained for that reason.
The decision to criminalize displays of the gesture have drawn the criticism of Human Rights Watch, stating it expresses "a mindset that views human rights with disdain, and sees youthful defiance as the enemy." Human Rights Watch's Asia director, Brad Adams, remarked: "The Thai military's assault on basic human rights has apparently grown to not only target peaceful protesters but now also silent ones as well — since now just holding up an arm with a three-finger salute is enough to earn the junta's ire".
The National Council for Peace and Order has stated it imposed military rule over the country due to political deadlock resulting from demonstrations spanning seven months, which occasionally erupted into violence. Last year, on the volatile political situation in Thailand, scholar Nicholas Farrelly wrote in the Australian Journal of International Affairs: "Each year, Thailand tends to experience at least one period of frenzied coup speculation. Coups clearly still play a major role in Thai mainstream politics."
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Hunger Games' salute used to protest coup d'état in Thailand | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Hunger_Games%27_salute_used_to_protest_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat_in_Thiland |
Western Australia Premier and Treasurer Mark McGowan told a snap press conference yesterday he will retire by week's end, concluding six years as premier and 26 as Member for Rockingham.
McGowan, the Labor Party leader, said: "The truth is I'm tired, extremely tired. In fact, I'm exhausted".
"It has been an honour and privilege to serve the people of the state in my community over this time", he continued. "It is way beyond what I could ever have imagined my career would amount to. WA [Western Australia] has provided me with the opportunity of a lifetime".
On Facebook, McGowan wrote: "I've loved the role.
"I've loved being able to deliver on our agenda for the benefit of our State and I've loved the challenge of solving problems, making decisions, getting outcomes, and helping people."
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said McGowan "has been a great Premier of his proud state, an extraordinary leader for WA Labor and a trusted friend [...] In unprecedented times, Mark always held to his convictions and always sought to do the right thing by his state."
—Anthony AlbaneseAlbanese said McGowan informed him Monday morning of his intent to step down.
The COVID-19 pandemic saw McGowan's approval rating rise to 91%. In the 2021 state election, Labor won 53 of 59 lower-chamber seats.
His resignation slated Labor to select a leader ahead of the state election scheduled for 2025.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'I'm tired, extremely tired': Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan announces resignation | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27I%27m_tired,_extremely_tired%27:_Western_Australia_Premier_Mark_McGowan_announces_resignation |
English television presenter and variety performer Max Bygraves died Friday at his home in Australia. The comedian, who was born in Rotherhithe in the British capital London, was 89 years old. Johnny Mans, Bygraves' agent, confirmed Bygraves had died as he slept in his home of Hope Island, in the Australian state of Queensland, Friday night.
"We have lost one of the best entertainers that Britain has ever produced", said Mans, calling his death "a great loss to the entertainment profession and a great loss to all of his friends in the industry."
Bygraves, whose catchphrase was "I wanna tell you a story", was born Walter William Bygraves in 1922. He received the first name Max for impersonating Max Miller, another English comedian, while entertaining at the Royal Air Force [RAF]. He became an entertainer there having been prohibiting from joining the RAF for having inadequate eyesight. Bygraves became notable for performing various self-composed comedic songs, as well as for his appearances on the Royal Variety Show. He was at one time the presenter of ITV game show Family Fortunes.
"He as a person never dated," ex-radio broadcaster Ed Stewart said of Bygraves, who was his friend. "He was a great character with a great sense of humour, a lovely family and it's just a shame that he's gone, but at nearly 90, he had a good run. He was an entertainer through and through." His works provided "a lot of pleasure to a lot of people and were huge sellers," Stewart said.
During 2005, Bygraves emigrated to Australia from his UK residence in Bournemouth, in the south west of England. His family reported that he was experiencing the early stages of Alzheimer's disease, a form of dementia, earlier this year. Bygraves is survived by six children, three of whom he conceived with his wife Blossom Murray, whom he married in 1942. Murray died in 2011.
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'I wanna tell you a story': English entertainer Max Bygraves dies at age 89 | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27I_wanna_tell_you_a_story%27:_English_entertainer_Max_Bygraves_dies_at_age_89 |
Access to the Russian-language Wikipedia is disabled across almost all its pages today, due to the Russian parliament, the Duma, debating amendments to the law "About information" which may lead to censorship of Runet through blacklisting and filtering of internet sites.
The proposed bill aims to creating a blacklist of internet sites alleged to host child pornography, drug related material, extremist material and other content illegal in the country. It also proposed several other changes in the law, including holding providers of telecommunication services liable for failing to protect children.
Critics, including Google, Yahoo, search engine Yandex and social networking site Vkontakte noted that as-written the legislation contained many technical faults likely to negatively impact legitimate internet use. In protest, the Russian Wikipedia community decided upon a near-total blackout of contents on July 10. The blackout banner includes the text: "Imagine a world without free knowledge", and summarises the details of the bill. Readers are warned that articles, such as Suicide, may be considered "harmful" due to ambiguity in the proposed legislation, risking a block of the entire website by Russia-based Internet providers.
Later in the day, the popular blogging platform LiveJournal issued a statement similarly opposed to the legislation: "[...Livejournal] considers the introduction of any restrictions on freedom of expression and information in the Internet to be unacceptable."
The announcement by the Russian Wikimedia community states:
Supporters of the law proposed say that it is aimed only at widely prohibited content such as child pornography and «information like this», but conditions for determining the content falling under this law will create a thing like the «great Chinese firewall». The existing Russian law's practice shows the high possibility of the worst scenario, in which access to Wikipedia soon will be closed in the country.
On July 11 the second reading of the law in the State Duma will take place. The law will come into force after the third reading, for which a date has not yet been set.
In January, the English-language Wikipedia ran a similar 'blackout protest' for 24 hours, protesting US anti-piracy laws the Stop Online Piracy Act and PROTECT IP Act (PIPA). That action resulted in those laws being reconsidered. An earlier blackout, in October last year, saw the Italian Wikipedia community successfully oppose other Internet censorship legislation.
Speaking to Wikinews in January, the Wikimedia Foundation's chief executive, Sue Gardner, explained "[t]he Wikimedia movement does not have a lot of experience with advocacy, and probably mistakes will get made. At this time the Wikimedia Foundation doesn't have any plans to develop policy governing protests or advocacy work. But, I think it probably does make sense for the Foundation to create venues for these discussions".
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Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections. | 'Imagine a world without free knowledge', in Russia | https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/%27Imagine_a_world_without_free_knowledge%27,_in_Russia |